THE  RISE  OF   THE  HIGH  SCHOOL 
IN  MASSACHUSETTS- 


BY 

ALEXANDER   JAMES   INGLIS 


SUBMITTED  IN  PARTIAL  FULFILMENT  OF  THE  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  THE  DEGREE 

OF  DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY,  IN  THE  FACULTY  OF  PHILOSOPHY, 

COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


PUBLISHED  BY 

(Uradjrrs  dJnllrgr,  (Unhtmhia  llmttrrsttij 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

1911 


Copyright,  1911,  by  ALEXANDER  JAMES  INGLIS 


PRESS  OF 

FRANK  H.  EVORY  &  CO. 
ALBANY,  N.  Y. 


INTRODUCTION 

The  development  of  the  high  school  in  the  United  States  has 
before  this  been  treated  by  numerous  writers  on  education.  For 
the  most  part,  however,  the  subject  has  been  treated  by  these 
writers  in  a  general  way  in  connection  with  other  educational  in- 
stitutions, or  in  connection  with  certain  prominent  schools.  While 
these  individual  institutions  may  be  considered  as  the  pioneers  in 
the  field,  a  study  of  them  alone  cannot  give  a  comprehensive  view 
of  the  work  of  the  high  school  as  a  whole,  nor  can  the  real  scope 
of  public  secondary  education  be  estimated  and  understood  from 
a  consideration  of  a  few  individual  institutions.  Thus  the  study 
of  such  a  school  as  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston 
gives  us  very  valuable  data,  but  if  we  attempt  to  generalize  on  the 
development  of  the  high  school  in  Massachusetts  from  the  schools 
of  Boston  alone  we  should  get  an  altogether  misleading  concep- 
tion of  the  work  of  the  high  school  in  that  state.  Likewise  a 
study  of  such  institutions  as  the  Central  High  School  of  Philadel- 
phia or  that  of  Baltimore  is  undoubtedly  of  great  value,  but  the 
history  of  those  two  institutions  shows  clearly  that  they  cannot 
be  considered  as  representative  of  the  high  school  in  general. 

No  complete  examination  of  any  large  group  of  high  schools  for 
the  early  period  has  ever  been  made.  Even  the  number  of  high 
schools  established  in  the  various  parts  of  the  country  during  the 
early  period  has  been  a  matter  of  dispute.  Thus  Dr.  Harris,  the 
late  Commissioner  of  Education,  who  probably  devoted  as  much 
attention  to  this  subject  as  any  other  up  to  that  time,  stated  in 
1901 :  "  The  number  of  high  schools  in  the  United  States  in  1860  • 
was  about  forty."1  On  this  topic  Dr.  Elmer  E.  Brown  has  this 
to  say :  "  How  many  schools  of  this  class  were  in  existence  pre- 
vious to  the  Civil  War,  it  would  be  hard  to  say.  According  to 
Barney's  "  Report  on  the  American  System,"  there  were  eighty 

1  Proc.  N.  E.  A.,  1901,  p.  175. 

iii 

• 
232988 


iv  Introduction 

such  schools  in  1851.  One  year  later,  there  were  sixty-four  re-' 
ported  in  Massachusetts  alone.  Ohio  is  said  to  have  had  ninety- 
seven  in  1856.  Other  states  were  already  making  considerable 
progress  in  the  building  up  of  such  institutions.  Dr.  Harris's  esti- 
mate of  forty  high  schools  in  the  whole  country  in  1860  was  doubt- 
less reached  through  a  winnowing  process."2  Just  what  this 
"  winnowing  process  "  of  Dr.  Harris  was  it  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand. Much  would,  of  course,  depend  on  the  interpretation  of 
the  term  "  high  school "  but  it  would  appear  that  any  reasonable 
interpretation  of  that  term  would  include  in  the  list  of  high  schools 
many  more  than  the  number  which  Dr.  Harris  gave.  In  Massa- 
chusetts alone  by  1860  one  hundred  and  two  towns  claimed  to  have 
established  high  schools  and  at  the  lowest  possible  estimate  sixty- 
three  show  by  their  actual  courses  of  study  a  curriculum  which 
covered  from  three  to  five  years  and  which  contained  all  of  the 
studies  commonly  considered  as  appropriate  to  high  school  work.3 

The  present  discussion  has  for  its  aim  a  consideration  of  the 
high  schools  in  Massachusetts  up  to  the  beginning  of  the  Civil 
War.     The  final  limit  is  a  more  or  less  arbitrary  one,  but  by  1860  r — 
it  may  be  said  that  the  high  school  in  Massachusetts  had  assumed  \ 
a  stable  position  in  the  educational  system  of  the  state.     By  that 
time  the  legal  requirements  regarding  the  establishment  of  high 
schools  had  met  with  a  fair  degree  of  compliance,  the  list  of    I 
studies  prescribed  by  law  for  high  schools  had  assumed  a  form 
which  was  destined  to  remain  unchanged  in  its  fundamental  re- 
quirements for  the  rest  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  graded  sys- 
tem of  schools  was  well  under  way,  the  academy  had  begun  to 
give  way  to  the  public  high  school  as  the  pre-eminent  institution 
of  secondary  education,  and  a  favorable  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  I 
public  toward  the  public  high  school  had  been  created. 

The  data  on  which  the  discussion  is  based  are,  for  the  most 
part,  those  given  in  the  reports,  regulations,  etc.,  of  the  school 
committees  of  the  various  towns  of  the  Commonwealth.  Of  this 
material  practically  every  report  of  every  town  in  Massachusetts 
from  1838  to  1863  has  been  examined.  The  reports  of  the  sev- 
eral towns  previous  to  1838  were  not  filed  with  the  state  department 
and  hence  were  not  so  easily  accessible.  Of  such  towns  as  main- 

2  The  Making  of  Our  Middle  Schools,  pp.  313-314. 
3Cf.  pp.  38,  82-83,  97-98. 


Introduction  v 

tained  secondary  schools  previous  to  1838  all  reports  except  a  few 
which  seemed  inaccessible  were  examined.  Several  thousand 
reports,  many  of  them  in  manuscript,  were  thus  examined.  Only 
in  this  way  did  it  seem  possible  to  secure  the  information  which 
would  offer  a  view  of  the  real  work  of  the  high  schools. 

A.  J.  I. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

INTRODUCTION  .  .  ,  ...............................  iii 

I     THE   EDUCATIONAL    SITUATION    IN    MASSACHUSETTS 

PREVIOUS  TO  1827  .............................  i 

II    LEGAL  PROVISIONS  REGARDING  SECONDARY  SCHOOLS 

IN  MASSACHUSETTS  ............  .  ..............  24 

III  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  HIGH  SCHOOLS  ............  35 

IV  THE    HIGH    SCHOOL    IN    ITS   RELATION    TO   OTHER 

EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS  ....................  52 

V    THE    CURRICULUM    OF   THE  ^  MASSACHUSETTS    HIGH 

SCHOOLS  PREVIOUS  TO  1861  ......................  71 

VI     THE  CURRICULUM  —  SPECIAL  SUBJECTS  ............  103 

VII     SUMMARY  AND  CONCLUSION  .......................  149 

BIBLIOGRAPHY  ..................................  161 


rl 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  IN 
MASSACHUSETTS 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  SITUATION  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 
PREVIOUS  TO  1827 

The  high  school  in  Massachusetts  had  its  beginning  in  the  third 
decade  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Within  that  period  fall  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  in 
1821,  the  founding  of  the  Boston  High  School  for  Girls  in  1826, 
and  the  passage  of  the  act  in  1827  which  formed  the  basis  of  all 
subsequent  legislation  .affecting  the  high-school  in  Massachusetts, 

In  a  wider  sense,  however,  we  must  trace  the  origin  of  thef' 
Massachusetts  high  school  and  secondary  education  in  the  nine- 
teenth century  back  to  an  earlier  period,  and,  to  gain  a  conception 
of  the  meaning  and  extent  of  the  change  then  brought  about,  we 
must  examine  the  conditions  prior  to  the  nineteenth  century  and  \ 
antecedent  to  the  beginning  of  the  high  school  movement  proper. 
Such  an  examination  will  involve  some  consideration  of  the 
colonial  Latin  grammar  school  and  of  the  .academies  which  prac- 
tically dominated  secondary  education  at  the  beginning  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  together  with  a  consideration  of  the  public 
school  system  in  general.  No  exhaustive  treatment  of  these 
movements  can  be  attempted  here,  but  sufficient  attention  must 
be  given  to  them  to  afford  a  knowledge  of  the  situation  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  period  with  which  this  discussion  is  concerned. 

i.     THE  LATIN  GRAMMAR  SCHOOL 

It  is  generally  stated,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  as  to  the 
correctness  of  the  statement,  that  the  Latin  grammar  school  of 
the  colonial  period  in  Massachusetts  was,  in  its  general  aim  and 
economy,  and  in  the  subject  matter  of  its  curriculum,  an  out- 
growth of  the  grammar  school  of  England.  Unfortunately  the 
data  regarding  the  early  Latin  grammar  school  in  this  country 
are  very  meagre  and  fragmentary  so  that  any  exact  analysis  of 
the  school  and  its  workings  is  impossible.  Such  data  as  there  are 


bfitht  &>igti  School  in  Massachusetts 


/show  clearly  the  debt  of  the  Massachusetts  grammar  school 
{  to  its  prototype  in  England.  The  existing  data  have  been  pre- 
sented so  often  that  it  would  be  out  of  place  to  attempt  to 
reproduce  them  here.1  It  will  perhaps  be  sufficient  for  our  pur- 
poses to  give  a  comparison  of  a  scheme  of  the  books  used  in  the 
Westminster  School  about  1660  and  one  of  the  earliest  known 
programs  of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School  adopted  October 
^  fifteenth,  1789.  The  difference  of  time  is  not  so  important  as  would 
seem  at  first  sight,  inasmuch  as  the  general  economy  and  the 
subject  matter  of  the  grammar  school  of  England  and  that  of 
Massachusetts  did  not  change  much  during  the  entire  colonial 
period  of  Massachusetts. 


WINCHESTER  SCHOOL,  ABOUT  i6oo.2 

First  Form: 

Disticha  of  Dionysius  Cato. 

Exercitatio      Linguae      Latinae 
(Vives). 

Dialogues    and    Confabulationes 

of   Corderius. 
Second  Form: 

Terence. 

Aesop's  Fables  (in  Latin). 

Dialogi  Sacri. 

Colloquies  of  Erasmus. 
Third  Form: 

Terence. 

Sallust. 

Selections    of    Cicero's    Letters 
(Sturmius). 

Aesop  (in  Latin). 
Fourth  Form: 

Terence. 

Sallust. 

Ovid's  Tristia. 

Cicero's  De  Officiis. 

Greek — Lucian's  Dialogues. 

Grammar   (Clenard's). 
Fifth  Form: 

Justin. 

Cicero's  De  Amicitia. 

Ovid's  Metamorphoses. 

Greek — Isocrates. 
Plutarch. 


BOSTON  LATIN  SCHOOL,  OCT.  isth, 

I789-3 
1st  Class: 

Cheever's  Accidence. 
Corderius's      Colloquies — Latin 

and  English. 
Nomenclator. 

Aesop's  Fables — Latin  and  Eng- 
lish. 
Ward's     Latin      Grammar,      or 

Eutropius. 
2d  Class: 
Clarke's  Introduction — Latin  and 

English. 

Ward's  Latin  Grammar. 
Eutropius,  continued. 
Selectae    e    Veteri    Testamento 

Historiae,  or, 
Castilio's  Dialogues. 
The    making    of    Latin,     from 

Garretson's  Exercises. 
3d  Class: 

Caesar's  Commentaries. 

Tully's  Epistles,  or  Offices. 

Ovid's  Metamorphoses. 

Virgil. 

Greek  Grammar. 

The     making    of    Latin,     from 

King's  History  of  the  Heathen 
Gods. 


1  Watson,  Foster,  The  English  Grammar  Schools  to  1660 ;  Jenks,  Henry 
F.,  The  Boston  Public  Latin  School;  Littlefield,  George  E.,  Early  Schools 
and  School-books  of  New  England;  Brown,  Elmer  E.,  The  Making  of  Our 
Middle  Schools,  1-154. 

2  Sargeaunt,  John,  Annals  of  the  Westminster  School,  page  39. 

3  The  System  of  Public  Education,  Adopted  by  the  Town  of  Boston,  I5th 
October,  1789,  page  2;  quoted  by  Jenks,  Henry  F.,  The  Boston  Public  Latin 
School,  page  287. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827      3 

Sixth  and  Seventh  Forms:  kth  Class: 

Caesar.  Virgil,   continued — Tully's   Ora- 

Livy.  tions. 

Virgil.  Greek  Testament. — Horace. 

Greek— Demosthenes.  Homer.— Gradus  ad  Parnassum. 

Homer.  The  making  of  Latin  continued. 

N.  B. — In  1773  the  school  was 
divided  into  seven  classes.  Cf. 
Jenks,  Henry  F.,  Boston  Public 
Latin  School,  page  36.  Likewise 
in  1788.  Cf.  Jenks,  page  43. 

'  The  history  of  the  growth  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  in 
/  Massachusetts   begins   with  the   establishment  of  the  school   in 
\  Boston  in  1635.     A  short  resume  of  the  principal  facts  of  the 
history  of  the  grammar  school  will  set  the  main  points  before  us. 
In  1647  the  famous  act  was  passed  which  made  the  establish- 
/  ment  of  Latin  grammar  schools  mandatory  in  all  towns  having  a 
population    of    one   hundred   families    or    householders    or   over. 
Before  that  date,  however,  six  towns  besides  Boston  had  already 
established     grammar     schools.      These    were    Salem     (1637), 
Charlestown  (1636),  Dorchester  (1639),  Cambridge  (1640-43), 
Roxbury    (1645),  and   Braintree    (1645-46).     Before    1700  the 
following    eighteen   towns    were   probably    addi^I   to    the    list: 
Watertown  (1650),  Ipswich  (1651),  Dedham  (1653),  Newbury 
(1658  or  1687),  Northampton  (1667),  Hadley  (1667  or  1681), 
Hingham  (1670),  Plymouth  (county  1671,  town  1699),  Duxbury 
(1677),    Rehoboth    (1678),    Concord    (1680  or    1690),    Bristol 
(1682),  Barnstable  (1682-85  perhaps),  Taunton  (1682  or  1697), 
Woburn    (1685,  unsuccessful),  Lynn   (1687  or   1700),   Marble- 
head  (1698,  doubtful),  Sandwich  (1699,  doubtful).4 

"At  this  time  (1700)  there  were  eighty-one  towns  in  Massa- 
chusetts. The  census  of  1765  in  Massachusetts  showed  184 
towns,  of  which  only  eighty-one  had  over  a  thousand  inhabitants. 
From  this  it  might  be  inferred  that  the  proportion  of  towns  having 
grammar  schools  in  1700  was  as  large  as  it  should  be — that,  in 
fact,  towns  had  generally  complied  with  the  law.  But  another 
view  is  obtained  from  a  list  of  the  polls  given  in  by  twenty  towns 
in  Middlesex  County  in  1708.  Nine  of  the  twenty  showed  more 
than  one  hundred  families,  but  only  five  had  attempted  a  grammar 
school,  and  but  four  had  succeeded  in  its  establishment." 

During  the  eighteenth  century  most  of  the  schools  above  men- 
figures  taken  from  Small,  Walter  H.,  The  New  England  Grammar 
School,  1635-1700:  School  Review,  Sept.  1902,  Vol.  X,  No.  7,  pages  513-531, 
and  corroborated  in  general  from  various  sources. 


4  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

tioned  were  continued.  Attempts  to  establish  town  schools  in 
other  towns  were  in  general  unsuccessful  or  carried  through  only 
with  the  greatest  difficulty  and  in  the  face  of  much  opposition. 
An  account  of  the  struggle  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  such  schools  is  given  in  the  School  Review  for  January,  1906. 5 
/The  period  is  one  of  constant  endeavor  on  the  part  of  towns  to 
/  evade  the  mandate  of  the  law  and  on  the  part  of  the  state  to 
enforce  the  law  by  increasing  the  penalty  for  non-compliance  and 
by  indictments  brought  for  non-maintenance.  Here  mention  is 
made  of  the  following  towns  which  were  indicted  for  not  main- 
\  taining  grammar  schools:  Woburn  (1700,  1706),  Duxbury 
(1709,  1731,  1737),  Andover  (1713),  Haverhill  (1702,  1751), 
Maiden  (1710,  1715,  1719),  Groton  (1718,  1722),  Weymouth 
(1785),  Newton  (1762),  Amesbury  (1722,  1757,  1778),  Hard- 
wich  (1747,  1758,  1767),  Framingham  (1717). 

Meantime  the  essential  characteristics  of  the  law  of  1647  had 
remained  in  force,  with  little  change  except  in  the  matter  of 
penalty   for   non-compliance,   until    I2§SL wnen   tne  act   cited   in 
part  on  pages  26  ff.  was  passed.     In  this  law  there  were  twof 
provisions  which  vitally  affected  the  Latin  grammar  school.    The  \ 
number  of  families  requisite  to  make  the  establishment  of  a  gram- 
mar school  mandatory  was  increased  from  one  hundred  to  two  I 
hundred  and  the  district  school  system  was  sanctioned. 

By  the  older  law,  according  to  the  census  of  1790,  some  two 
hundred  and  thirty  out  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  towns  were 
required  to  support  grammar  schools.  By  the  new  law,  accord- 
ing to  the  same  census,  one  hundred  and  seventeen  towns  were 
exempted  from  this  obligation,  leaving  one  hundred  and  thirteen 
towns  still  subject  to  the  requirements  of  the  law.  The  figures 
for  the  census  periods  up  to  the  time  of  the  high  school  move- 
ment are  given  below.  The  figures  are  compiled  from  the  returns 
of  the  United  States  census  for  the  years  indicated.6 

TABLE  I 

1790       1800       1810       1820 
No.    of    towns    required    to    maintain    Latin 

Grammar   Schools    113          129          143          172 

No.  of  towns  in  the  state 270         278         288         302 

5  Small,   Walter   H.,   The   New    England   Grammar    School,    1700-1800, 
School  Review,  Vol.  XIV.,  No.  I,  pages  42-56. 

6  These  data  are  summarized  in  the  Massachusetts  Census  for  1865,  pp. 
i8off.     The  basis  for  estimation  taken  is  200  families  =  1,200  inhabitants. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827      5 

In  the  article  above  quoted  Mr.  Small  makes  the  following 
statement:  "Meantime  (previous  to  the  law  of  1789)  the  term 
'grammar  school'  had  practically  disappeared  from  use,  the 
district-school  had  taken  awjay  the  central  authority,  the  old  form 
of  school  had  been  forgotten,  and  there  was  fastened  upon  the 
state  the  district-school  system,  which  required  fifty  years  of 
^strenuous  effort  to  dislodge.  The  grammar  school  had  practically 
disappeared  from  New  England  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury." This  statement  is  probably  too  strong.  Many  of  the 
towns  mentioned  on  page  3  still  continued  to  maintain  grammar 
schools  until  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  final 
blow  which  apparently  drove  the  Latin  grammar  schpol  out 
existence  was  the  law  of  1824  which  practically  exempted  all  but 
seven  towns  in  the  state  from  the  necessity  of  maintaining  such 
schools.  Nevertheless  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  Latin 
grammar  school,  as  a  type  of  "secondary  education  which  repre- 
sented the  needs  and  desires  of  the  people  of  the  commonwealth, 
was  practically  an  institution  of  the  past  and  that  to  its  subsi- 
dence the  district  schools  system  greatly  contributed.  It  should 
be  remembered,  however,  that  toward  the  end  of  the  eighteenth 
century  there  came  the  rapid  rise  of  the  academy  which  in  great 
degree  supplanted  the  Latin  grammar  school  as  the  institution 
for  secondary  education  in  Massachusetts.  .Whether  the  decline 
of  the  Latin  grammar  school  was  the  cause  or  the  effect  of  the 
rise  of  the  academy  may  perhaps  be  a  question,  but  it  should  be 
noted  in  this  connection  that  the  grammar  school  was  well  on 
its  way  to  disappearance  by  the  beginning  of  the  academy  move- 
ment in  Massachusetts. 

Notwithstanding  the  decline  of  the  grammar  school  there  re- 
mained several  institutions  of  this  type  at  the  beginning  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  Chief  among  these  was  the  Boston  Latin 
School.  The  curriculum  of  this  school  in  1 789  has  already  been 
given.  Within  the  colonial  period  little  change  had  developed 
in  the  curriculum,  which,  as  has  been  seen,  was  exclusively  com- 
posed of  the  study  of  LallrTatid  Greek.  A  program  of  studies 
appointed  for  this  school  at  about  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth 
century7  shows  the  introduction  of  no  new  subject  for  study, 

7  The  System  of  Public  Education  Adopted  by  the  Town  of  Boston,  un- 
dated but  probably  about  1804. 


ar 

aly 

of\ 

Ut     I 

ch    I 


6  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

merely  varying  slightly  the  Latin  and  Greek  authors  read.  The 
first  addition  to  the  straight  course  of  Latin  and  Greek  came 
some  time  during  the  headmastership  of  Gould  (1814-1828)  : 8 
"  The  study  of  arithmetic  is  commenced  tnT"  latter  part  of  the 
third  year,  or  the  beginning  of  the  fourth,  with  Colburn's  '  First 
Lessons.'  Recitations  in  this  are  made  two  or  three  times  each 
half  day  by  those  who  are  studying  it."  "  The  same  system  of 
advancing  from  particular  examples  to  the  general  rule  is  ob- 
served in  teaching  Lacroix's  Arithmetic  and  Euler's  Algebra."  .  .  . 
"  In  Geometry  the  diagrams  of  Euclid  are  taken  off  .  .  ."  "  Wor- 
cester's Geography  is  the  text  book  in  that  branch."  Trigono- 
metry was  also  included  in  this  program*. 

The  following  curriculum,  taken  from  the  Regulations  of  the 
School  Committee  of  Boston  for^iggji,  page  7,  will  represent  the 
work  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  at  its  best  at  the  time  of  the 
beginning  of  the  high  school  movement : 

Public  Latin  School.    Admission  and  Studies. 


For  admission  to  the  Public  Latin  School,  boys  must  be  at  least 
nine  years  old;  able  to  read  correctly  and  with  fluency,  and  to 
write  a  running  hand ;  they  must  know  all  the  stops,  marks,  and 
abbreviations,  and  have  sufficient  knowledge  of  English  Grammar 
to  parse  common  sentences  in  prose.  The  time  of  examination 
is  on  Friday  and  Saturday  following  the  Annual  Exhibition  of 
the  Public  Schools  in  August.  The  regular  course  of  instruc- 
tion lasts  five  years,  and  the  school  is  divided  into  five  classes 
according  to  the  time  of  entrance. 

FIFTH  CLASS 
First  Year 

1.  Adam's  Latin  Grammar. 

2.  Liber  Primus,  or  the  Latin  Reader,  ist  Part. 

3.  Viri  Romae,  and  reading  English^ 

FOURTH  CLASS 
Second  Year 
i  and  3  continued. 

4.  The  Fables  of  Phaedrus,    )    or  the  Latin  Reader,  2d  Part 

5.  Caesar's  Commentaries.       J          instead  of  these  two. 

6.  Cornelius  Nepos. 

7.  Writing  Latin  Exercises,  from  Dana's  Latin  Tutor. 

8.  Declamation,  Reading,  and  English  Grammar. 

8  Account  by  Headmaster  Gould  in  the  Prize  Book,  quoted  by  Jenks, 
Henry  R,  Boston  Public  Latin  School,  page  60. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827      7 

THIRD  CLASS 

Third  Year 

i,  7,  and  8,  continued. 

9.     Mythology,    (Tooke's  Pantheon,  or  Irving's  or  Pinnock's 
Catechism). 

10.  Arithmetic,  (Colburn's  Intellectual,  Lacroix's  Written). 

11.  Ovid's  Metamorphoses,  Expurg.  edition. 

12.  Greek  Grammarrt&oucester  Gr.). 

13.  Valpy's  Greek  Delectus. 

14.  Sallust. 

SECOND  CLASS 

Fourth  Year 
i,  7,  8,  12,  continued. 

15.  Grecian  and  Roman  Antiquities.. 

1 6.  Ancient  and  Modern  Geography,  with  the  use  of  the  Globes, 

(Worcester's). 

17.  Euler's  and  Colburn's  Algebra. 

18.  Virgil;  with  English  Notes,  but  without  Order  of  Construc- 

tion. 

19.  Cicero's  Select  Orations. 

20.  Gr.  Minora  and  Jacob's  Gr.  Reader,  with  Neilson's  Greek 

Exercises. 

21.  Writing  translations  from  Latin  and  Greek,  into  English, 

and  Committing  to  memory  select  portions  of  Latin  and 
Greek. 

FIRST  CLASS 

Fifth  Year 
i,  8,  12,  1 6,  1 8,  continued. 

22.  English     Composition,    Forensic  Discussions ;     Geometry, 

Trigonometry,  with  its'  uses. 

23.  History  and  Chronology,  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  A.,  and 

of  Mass. 

24.  Writing    Latin,  from   Latinae  Elegantiae ;  and   composing 

Latin  Themes. 

25.  Horace,  Expurgated.    Juvenal  and  Persius,  Expurg. 

26.  Cicero  de  Officiis ;  De  Senectute;  De  Amicitia;  Tacitus' 

Germany  and  the  Life  of  Agricola. 

27.  Greek  Testament,  Xenophon's  Anabasis  ;  Mattair's  Homer ; 

Books  for  reference  and  occasional  use;  The  Greek 
Lexicon  of  Scapula,  Hedericus,  and  Pickering,  Morall's 
Thesausus,  Ainsworth's  larger  Dictionary,  Lat.  and 
Eng.,  Adam's  Lat.  Diet.,  Adam's  and  Kenet's  Roman 
Antiquities,  Potter  and  Robinson's  Greecian  Antiquities, 
Lempriere's  Class.  Dictionary,  etc.,  etc. 


8  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

From  this  program  it  will  be  seen  that  by  the  time  of  the  pass- 
age of  the  act  of  1827  there  had  been  added  to  the  purely  classical 
curriculum  of  the  colonial  Latin  grammar  school,  at  least  in 
Boston,  the  following  subjects:  Arithmetic,  geography,  history, 
algebra,  geometry,  and  trigonometry,  together  with  considerable 
work  in  English.  Of  these  subjects,  the  first  two,  arithmetic  and 
geography,  were  by  the  law  of  1827  required  in  the  lower  schools, 
and  history,  algebra,  and  geometry  were  required  in  the  higher 
schools.  Trigonometry  was  never  required,  surveying  taking  its 
place. 

2.  THE  ACADEMY 

The  academy  movement  in  Massachusetts  had  its  beginning  in 
the  establishment  of  the^QmiinTej.J^ca4em}L.Jat  -South,.  By  field  and 
of  the  Phillips  Academy  in  Andover.  Although  the  former  was 
not  incorporated  until  1782  its  history  begins  with  the  legacy  of 
Lieutenant-Governor  Dummer_in_i^_6i  and  the  opening  of  the 
school  in  1763.  Of  the  Phillips  Academy  at  Andover  the  en- 
dowment was  established  by  the  execution  of  a  deed  of  gift  by 
Samuel  and  John  Phillips  on  April  21,  1778.  The  school  was 
opened  on  the  thirtieth  of  that  month  and  on  October  4,  1780  the 
academy  was  incorporated. 

Within  ten  years  after  the  incorporation  of  the  Phillips  Andover 
Academy  six  academies  had  been  incorporated  in  the  state  and  by 
1800  seventeen  had  been  chartered.  These  were  as  follows  (the 
dates  given  are  those  of  the  incorporation)  :  9 

Phillips  (Andover,  1780). 

Dummer    (South  Byfield,   1782). 

Leicester  (Leicester,  1784). 

Derby   (Hingham,   1784). 

Williamstown  Free  (Williamstown,  1785). 

Ipswich  Grammar  School   (Ipswich,  1787). 

Bristol   (Taunton,  1792). 

Marblehead   (Marblehead,  1792). 

Plymouth    (Plymouth,   1793). 

Westford   (Westford,   1793). 

9  Walton,  George  A.,  Report  on  Academies,  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of 
the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education,  Appendix  E,  pages  175-347. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827      9 

Westfield    (Westfield,    1793). 
Grotbn  10   (Groton,  1793). 
New  Salem  (New  Salem,  1795). 
Deerfield  (Deerfield,  1797). 
Milton    (Milton,   1798). 
Framingham  (Framingham,  1799). 
Bridgewater   (Bridgewater,  1799). 

Previous  to  1797  but  three  academies  in  Massachusetts  (con- 
sidering only  the  present  boundaries  of  the  state)  had  received  any 
aid  from  the  Commonwealth  beyond  the  mere  rights  and  privi- 
leges of  legal  existence.  These  were  Leicester,  Marblehead,  and 
Taunton,  each  of  which  had  received  a  grant  of  a  township  in 
Maine.'  In  that  year  other  academies  in  Massachusetts  petitioned 
the  Legislature  for  endowments  and  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  consider  these  petitions  and  to  outline  a  plan  of  the  public  policy 
in  behalf  of  the  incorporated  academies.  This  committee  re- 
ported February  27th,  1797. 

"  On  a  general  view  of  this  subject,  the  committee  are  of 
opinion  that  the  system  hitherto  pursued,  of  endowing  academies 
with  State  lands,  ought  to  be  continued,  but  with  several  material 
alterations ;  first,  that  no  academy  (at  least  not  already  erected) 
ought  to  be  encouraged  by  government  unless  it  have  a  neighbor- 
hood to  support  it  of  at  least  thirty  or  forty  thousand  inhabitants, 
not  accommodated  in  any  manner  by  any  other  academies,  by  any 
other  college  or  school  answering  the  purpose  of  an  academy; 
secondly,  ihat  every  such  portion  of  the  Commonwealth  ought  to 
be  considered  as  equally  entitled  ""to  grants  of  State  lands' to  these 
institutions,  in  aid  of  private  donations ;  and  thirdly,  that  no  State 
lands  ought  to  be  granted  to  any  academy  but  in  aid  of  permanent 
funds."  " 

In  this  same  report  it  was  recommended  that  half  a  town- 
ship of  six  miles  square  of  land  in  Maine  be  granted  to  each 
academy  which  met  certain  conditions  regarding  funds. 

From  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  Legislature  it  would  ap- 
pear that  the  academy  was  recognized  as  early  as  1797  as  fulfilling 

0  After  1847  the  corporate  name  was  Laurence  Academy. 
11  Report  of  the  committee,  quoted  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of  the  (Massa- 
chusetts) Board  of  Education,  pages  207-209. 


io  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

to  some  degree  the  function  of  a  quasi-public  educational  institu- 
tion and  as  one  deserving  public  support. 

les  appear  to  have  been  established,  as 


determmmg  Jh^ 

/They  were  to  be  regarded  as  in  many  respects,  and  to  a  consider- 
\able  extent,  public  schools  ;  as^ajgart  _oj_an  _organized__sy3tem  of 
public  an^uniyersal  education  ;  as  opening  the  ,_way^jQr_^all  the 
pgQple^tp_^,_  higher  order  of  ^nstructipjrHjiajOh^  schools 

can  supply,  and  as  a  complement  tojhem.  Towns,  as  well  as  the 
Commonwealth,  were  to  share,  with  individuals,  the  character  of 
founders,  or  legal  visitors  of  them.  They_were  to  be_distnbuted, 
asjiearly  as  might  be,  so  as  to  accommodate  the_different  districts 
orlp£aii^s_^L.theJ::^^  ; 

thatjis,  ^5,000  mdividual&.  In  this  way,  they  were  to  be  placed 
within  the  reach  of  the  whole  people,  and  their  advantages  se- 
cured, as  equally  and  effectively  as  possible,  for  the  common 
benefit."  12 

In  considering  this  last  question  it  should  be  remembered  that, 

while  tuition  was  commonly  charged  at  these  academies,  it  was 

frequently  but  nominal  and  seldom  amounted  to  very  much.     The 

/  circumstance  which  put  the  academy  out  of  the  reach  of  most 

people  was  that  pupils  in  most  cases  could  not  live  at  home. 

By  1820  nineteen  more  academies  had  been  incorporated  in 
Massachusetts  —  an  average  of  about  one  a  year  —  making  in  all 
thirty-six  academies  incorporated  in  the  state  up  to  that  date. 
During  the  following  decade  thirty-two  such  institutions  were  in- 
corporated, making  a  total  of  sixty-eight  within  the  period  from 
1780  to  1830.  Of  this  number  fifty-six  were  enumerated  by  the 
Quarterly  Register  13  as  in  operation  in  1830. 

The  following  table  compiled  from  data  given  in  the  Fortieth 
Report  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education  14  will  indicate 
the  growth  of  the  academy  movement  in  Massachusetts  : 

^Report  of  the  Standing  Committee  on  Education,  March  30,  1859. 
Quoted  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of  the  (Massachusetts)  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, page  209. 

13  Quarterly  Register  and  Journal  of  the  American  Educational  Society, 
Vol.  II,  1830,  pp.  232-233. 

14  Walton,  George  A.,  Report  on  Academies,  loc.  cit. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  182?     it 

TABLE  II 

INCORPORATION  OF  ACADEMIES  IN  MASSACHUSETTS  1780-1875 
Date  Number  Date  Number 

1780-1785 5  1826-1830 28 

1786-1790 i  1831-1835 32 

1791-1795 7  1836-1840 14 

1796-1800 4  1841-1845 ii 

1801-1805 7  1846-1850 10 

1806-1810 4  1851-1855 14 

1811-1815 2  1856-1860 5 

1816-1820 6  1861-1865 4 

1821-1825 4  1866-1870 6 

1871-1875 5 

Total  1780-1875 169 

From  these  figures,  so  far  as  may  be  judged  merely  from 
the  facts  of  incorporation,  it  would  appear  that  the  period  of 
greatest  growth  of  academies  was  the  decade  i§2§-|&5.>  sixty 
academies  being  incorporated  within  those  ten  years  as  compared 
with  forty  within  the  preceding  forty-five  years  and  sixty-nine  dur- 
ing the  succeeding  forty  years. 

If  we  return  now  to  the  question  of  the  relation  of  the  Latin 
grammar  school  and  the  academy,  we  find  that: 

1.  The  Latin  grammar  school  had  ceased  to  exist  except  in  a 
few  of  the  older  and  larger  towns  before  the  end  of  the  eighteenth 
century. 

2.  The  academy,  beginning  during  the  last  quarter  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  did  not  exert  its  greatest  influence  until  the 
beginning  of  the  second  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

It  would  seem,  therefore,  that,  while  there  doubtless  was  a 
certain  amount  of  reciprocal  relation  between  the  downfall  of  the 
Latin  grammar  school  and  the  growth  of  the  academy,  the  latter 
was  not  primarily  the  cause  of  the  fall  of  the  grammar  school  but 
the  natural  result  of  a  lack  of  public  support  of  secondary  educa- 
tion, a  conclusion  which  is,  perhaps,  borne  out  by  the  fact  that 
nearly  all  of  the  early  academies  were  established  in  localities 
where  there  were  no  opportunities  for  secondary  education  sup- 
ported by  the  public.15 

The  scope  of  the  curriculum  of  the  Phillips  Andover  Academy 

15  See  the  list  of  academies  incorporated  before  1820  given  by  Walton 
(loc,  tit.},  and  the  comment  of  Carter,  James  G.,  Essays  on  Popular  Edu- 
cation (1826),  p.  32. 


12  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

/was  outlined  in  the  constitution  adopted  by  Samuel  and  John 
/Phillips  (pages  10,  12)  :  "  There  shall  be  taught  in  this  Semi- 
nary the  English,  Latin,  and  Greek  Languages,  Writing,  Arith- 
metic, Music,  and  the  Art  of  Speaking;  also  practical  Geometry, 
Logic,  ^  and  any  other  of  the  liberal  Arts  and  Sciences,  or 
Languages,  as  opportunity  and  ability  may  hereafter  admit,  and 
as  the  trustees  shall  direct." 

/  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  from  its  very  inception  tihe  Andover 
[Academy  aimed  to  afford  a  broader  curriculum  than  the  Latin 
Igrammar  school  had  offered.  As  we  have  seen  the  latter  school  con- 
fined its  attention  to  the  study  of  Latin  and  Greek,  with  some 
little  attention  during  the  late  period  to  English.  Arithmetic  did 
not  find  a  place  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston  Latin  School  until 
the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  followed  a  little  later  by 
history,  geography,  algebra,  geometry,  and  trigonometry.  Music, 
logic,  and  science  were  altogether  new  conceptions  in  the  field  of 
secondary  education  in  Massachusetts  and  had  never  been  found 
in  the  curriculum  of  the  Latin  grammar  school. 

In  the  Leicester  Academy 16  provision  was  in  the  beginning 
made  for  a  "  Preceptor  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  Languages,"  and 
a  "Teacher  of  English,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  etc."  Geography, 
rhetoric,  and  grammar  early  formed  a  part  of  the  curriculum,  and 
in  1813  chemistry  was  taught.  Throughout  the  early  period  the 
Latin  and  Greek  studies  were  much  the  same  as  those  in  the  Latin 
grammar  school. 

In  Tft^/j  a  new  system  of  instruction  was  introduced  in  the 
Leicester  Academy  by  dividing  the  school  into  two  departments,  , 
an  upper  and  a  lower  school  Aside  from  the  classical  studies, 
the  studies  in  the  lower  school  were:  -First  Class  Book,  Wor- 
cester's Ancient  and  Modern  Geography,  Murray's  Grammar, 
Walker's  Dictionary,  Colburn's  and  Adam's  Arithmetic.  In  the 
upper  school  the  non-classical  studies  were :  Lacroix's  Arithmetic,' 
Euler's  Algebra,  Blair's  Rhetoric,  Whelply's  Compend  of  History^ 
Hedge's  Logic,  Legendre's  Geometfy,  Flint's  Surveying,  Convert 
sations  on  Intellectual  Philosophy,  Wilkin's  Astronomy,  Conver- 
sations on  Chemistry,  Watts  on  the  Mind.  French  was  introduced 
into  the  curriculum  of  the  academy  before  i828.17 

16Washburn,  Emory,  Brief  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Leicester  Academy, 
pp.  19-34- 

17  Washburn,  Emory,  loc.  cit. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827     13 

'"  An  advertisement  dated  April  8,  1822,  appeared  in  the  Sun 
of  the  loth  of  that  month  announcing  that  the  Pittsfield  Academy 
was  now  organized  .  .  .  and  that  the  course  of  instruction  would 
include  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages,  reading,  writing,  English 
grammar,  history,  rhetoric,  logic,  composition,  geography,  draw- 
ing of  maps,  arithmetic,  bookkeeping,  algebra,  geometry,  trigo- 
nometry, surveying,  navigation,  natural  and  moral  philosophy,  and 
astronomy ;  .  .  ."  1S 

While  the  introduction  of  many  new  subjects  into  the  field  of  7 
secondary  education  was  due  to  the  academies,  it  must  not  be 
supposed  that  the  latter  neglected  preparation  for  college.  On 
the  contrary  this  was  constantly  an  important  factor  in  the  work 
of  the  academies,  though  it  has  often  been  overlooked  because 
of  the  importance  of  the  new  phases,  apart  from  college  prepara- 
tion, which  it  introduced.  "  The  academy  was  made  strictly 
subordinate  to  the  college  and  preparatory  thereto  in  its  range  of 
studies,  while  one  of  its  great  objects  was  to  supplement  and  ex- 
tend the  means  of  popular  education."  19 

Higher  education  for  girls  was  practically  unprovided  for  in 
Massachusetts  during  the  colonial  period.  In  Dorchester  the  ques- 
tion had  been  raised  at  the  time  of  the  founding  of  the  town 
school  but  it  evidently  did  not  result  in  any  provision  for  the 
education  of  girls.  In  1784  the  girls  of  that  town  were  permitted 
to  attend  the  grammar  school  in  the  summer.20 

Of  the  earlier  academies  the  Dummer  Academy  was  originally 
exclusively  for  boys  and  was  not  open  to  girls  until  well  into  the 
nineteenth  century.  Phillips  Andover  Academy  has  always  been 
a  boys'  school  exclusively.  Leicester  Academy,  incorporated  and  / 
opened  in  1784,  was  coeducational  from  the  start.21  In,  the  West-  / 
ford  Academy,  opened  in  1792  and  incorporated  in  1793,  provi- 
sion was  made  in  the  first  articles  of  organization  for  the  ad- 
mission of  pupils  of  both  sexes,22  The  Bradford  Academy,  opened 
in  1803  and  incorporated  in  1804,  was  at  its  beginning  coeduca- 
tional and  so  remained  until  1836  when  it  became  a  school  for  girls 
only.23  The  Ipswich  Female  Seminary,  opened  in  1825  and  in- 

18  Smith,  J.  E.  A.,  The  Public  School  System  of  the  Town  of  Pittsfield, 
reviewed  from  1761  to  1880,  p.  13. 

19  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of  the  (Mass.)  Board  of  Education,  page  193. 
°Amer.  Jour,  of  Ed.,  XVII,  page  105. 

21  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of  the  (Mass.)  Board  of  Education,  page  235. 
^Ibid.,  page  242. 
23  Ibid.,  page  263. 


14  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

corpora  ted  in  1828,  was  at  first  exclusively  for  girls.  Later  it 
was  opened  to  pupils  of  both  sexes.  In  1828  the  school  for  young 
ladies  in  Derby,  N.  H.,  was  transferred  to  Ipswich  and  again  the 
school  became  one  exclusively  for  girls.24  The  Abbot  Female 
Academy,  opened  and  incorporated  at  Andover  in  1829,  claimed 
to  be  the  first  incorporated  academy  for  girls  only  in  Massachu- 
setts.25 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  academy  movement  was  respon- 
sible in  great  degree  for  the  introduction  of  secondary  education 
'  for  girls  in  Massachusetts.  The  movement  met  with  great  favor 
and  a  number  of  schools  either  for  girls  alone  or  for  boys  and 
girls  sprang  up.  Some  of  these  appear  to  have  accomplished 
nothing  more  than  to  secure  a  charter.  Others  had  but  a  short 
existence.  Nevertheless  the  success  of  the  movement  was  assured 
and  its  success  was  destined  to  have  its  effect  on  the  subsequent 
policy  of  public  secondary  education. 

3.     THE  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  AND  THE  DISTRICT  SYSTEM 

In  order  to  get  a  conception  of  the  general  situation  at  the 
time  of  the  beginning  of  the  high  school  movement  some  atten- 
tion must  be  paid  to  the  state  of  the  common  schools  at  the 
^beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  If  we  pass  over  the  earlier 
history  of  the  lower  public  schools  which  is  not  especially  relevant 
to  this  particular  discussion  the  question  reduces  itself  to  some 
consideration  of  the  district  school  system. 

During  the  eighteenth  century  there  developed  through  the 
"  moving  school "  and  the  practice  of  "  squadroning,"  a  system  of 
dividing  towns  into  districts  for  purposes  of  school  adminis- 
tration. This  practice  antedated  legislation,  but  by  the  law  of 
1789 26  legal  sanction  was  given  and  the  district  system  was  put 
on  an  acknowledged  basis.  In  i8oo27  power  was  conferred  on 
the  districts  to  levy  taxes,  and  in  1817  28  the  districts  were  made 
Corporations. 

sThe  development  of  the  district  system  and  the  general  evils 
which  were  evidently  inherent  therein  have  been  too  often  dis- 

24  Ibid.,  page  283. 

25  Ibid.,  page  285. 

26  Acts  and  Resolves,  1789,  Chapter  XIX. 

27  Acts  and  Resolves,  1800,  Feb.  28. 

28  Acts  and  Resolves,  1817,  June  13. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827     15 

cussed  to  require  any  extended  consideration  here.  As  it  affected 
the  secondary  school  in  particular,  however,  certain  phases  of 
the  question  should  be  kept  in  mind.  As  has  already  been  sug- 
gested the  Latin  grammar  school  began  to  decline  in  prominence 
during  the  eighteenth  century.  Throughout  this  period  the 
district  system  began  to  spread  and  to  assume  a  position  of 
dominance  in  the  field  of  public  education.  What  the  effect  of  the 
district  system  on  the  Latin  grammar  school  was  it  would  be 
a  difficult  matter  to  determine,  but  certain  inferences  would  seem 
to  be  justified.  The  district  system  by  its  very  nature  called  for  a 
splitting  up  of  administrative  functions,  a  dissipation  of  financial 
support,  and  a  division  of  public  interest  which  were  entirely 
antagonistic  to  the  best  interests  of  secondary  education.  The 
more  or  less  independent  action  of  the  various  districts  of  any 
town  resulting  in  a  great  differentiation  in  the  method  of  pro- 
viding elementary  education,  in  a  varying  degree  of  advancement 
in  the  training  of  pupils  in  the  different  districts,  and  in  a  lack 
of  uniformity  of  elementary  preparation,  ajlj)recluded  the  efficient 
administration  of  a  general  town  school,  for  higher  education,  even 
in  ca'ses^wtnSre  it  did  not  actually  operate  against  the  maintenance 
of  a  grammar  school. 

The  efficient  operation  of  a  higher  school  depends  to  a  con- 
siderable  degree  on  the  presence  of  some  amount  of  gradation. 
In  the  majority  of  cases  where  the  district  system  was  in  oper- 
ation any  attempt  at  even  a  rough  gradation  was  practically 
impossible,  because  of  the  small  number  of  pupils  and  financial 
considerations  which  limited  the  number  of  teachers  available. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  effect  of  the  district  system  on 
the  disappearance  of  the  Latin  grammar  school,  its  dominance 
in  the  field  of  public  education  during  the  early  part  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  was  beyond  dispute  and  this  dominance  was  a 
great  force  to  be  reckoned  with  in  considering  the  educational 
situation  at  that  time  and  for  the  greater  part  of  the  first  half  of 
the  century. 

4.     THE  ENGLISH  CLASSICAL  (HIGH)  SCHOOL  AT  BOSTON 

The  establishment  of  the  English  Classical  School  at  Boston  in 
JtB2i  inaugurated  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  public  secondary 
education  in  this  country.  Its  early  history  has  been  clearly  set 


1 6  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

forth  several  times29  and  may,  therefore,  be  treated  less  fully 
here  than  its  intrinsic  importance  would  otherwise  require. 

A  portion  of  the  report  of  the  sub-committee  which  had  been 
appointed  to  consider  the  question  of  the  establishment  of  this 
school  will  indicate  the  aim  which  the  advocates  of  such  a  school 
had  in  mind:  "  The  mode  of  education  now  adopted,  and  the 
branches  of  knowledge  that  are  taught  at  our  English  grammar 
schools  are  not  sufficiently  extensive  nor  otherwise  calculated  to 
bring  the  powers  of  the  mind  into  operation  nor  to  qualify  a 
youth  to  fill  usefully  and  respectably  many  of  the  stations,' both 
public  and  private,  in  which  he  may  be  placed/' A  parent  who 
wishes  to  give  a  child  an  education  that  shall  fit  him  for  active 
life,  and  shall  serve  as  a  foundation  for  eminence  in  his  profession, 
whether  mercantile  or  mechanical,  is  under  the  necessity  of  giving 
him  a  different  education  from  any  which  our  public  schools  can 
now  furnish.  Hence,  many  children  are  separated  from  their 
parents  and  sent  to  private  academies  in  this  vicinity,  to  acquire 
that  instruction  which  cannot  be  obtained  at  the  public  semi- 
laries."  30 

Its  aim  is  further  stated  in  the  Regulations  of  the  School  Com- 
fmittee  for  1833  (pages  14-16)  :  "  It  was  instituted  in  1821,  with 
the  design  of  furnishing  the  young  men  of  the  city  who  are  not 
intended  for  a  collegiate  course  of  study,  and  who  have  enjoyed 
the  Visual  advantages  oi  the  otFer  public  schools,  with  the  means 
of  completing  a  good  English  education  to  fit  them  for  active  life 
or  qualify  them  for  eminence  in  private  or  public  station." 

In  accordance  with  the  plan  proposed  by  the  committee  above 
mentioned  and  adopted  by  the  School  Committee  the  school  was 
opened  in  May,  1821.  The  course  of  study  was  set  for  three 
years,  the  pupils  being  divided  into  three  classes  with  one  year 
assigned  to  each  class.  The  school  was  open  only  to  boys  of  not 
less  than  twelve  years  who  were  "  well  acquainted  with  reading, 
writing,  English  grammar  in  all  its  branches,  and  arithmetic  as 
far  as  simple  proportion." 

The  studies  were  assigned  to  the  various  classes  as  follows  :31 

First  Class:  Composition ;  reading  from  the  most  approved 
authors ;  exercises  in  criticism,  comprising  critical  analyses  of  the 

29  E.  g.,  Brown,  E.  E.,  The  Making  of  Our  Middle  Schools,  Chapter  XIV ; 
Catalogue  of  the  English  High  School,  Boston,  1890;  et  al 

30  Quoted  by  Dr.  Brown,  op.  cit.,  page  299. 

31  Report  of  the  Sub-Committee  before  mentioned.    Quoted  by  Dr.  Brown, 
loc.  cit. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827     17 

language,  grammar,  and  style  of  the  best  English  authors,  their 
errors  and  beauties ;  Declamation ;  Geography ;  Arithmetic  con- 
tinued. 

Second  Class:  Composition,  Reading,  Exercises  in  Criticism, 
Declamation ;  Algebra ;  Ancient  and  Modern  History  and 
Chronology ;  Logic ;  Geometry ;  Plane  Trigonometry,  and  its 
application  to  mensuration  of  heights  and  distances  ;  Navigation ; 
Surveying ;  Mensuration  of  Surfaces  and  Solids ;  Forensic  Dis- 
cussions. 

Third  Class:  Composition ;  Exercises  in  Criticism ;  Declama- 
tion ;  Mathematics ;  Logic ;  History,  particularly  that  of  the 
United  States  ;  Natural  Philosophy,  including  Astronomy ;  Moral 
and  Political  Philosophy. 

By  1823-1824  some  rather  important  changes  had  been  made 
in  the  regulations  and  course  of  study.32  The  requirement  for 
admission  then  demanded  a  knowledge  of  reading,  writing,  Eng- 
lish literature,  geography  and  arithmetic,  as  far  as  proportion, 
including  a  view  of  vulgar  and  decimal  fractions.  The  course 
of  study  was  as  follows : 

$d  or  Lowest  Class.  No.  I.  Intellectual  and  Written  Arith- 
metic by  Colburn  and  Lacroix.  2.  Ancient  and  Modern  Geogra- 
phy by  Worcester.  3.  General  History,  by  Tytler ;  History  of  the 
United  States,  by  Goodrich.  4.  Elements  of  Arts  and  Sciences, 
by  Blair.  5.  Reading,  Grammar  and  Declamation.  6.  Book- 
keeping, by  Single  and  Double  Entry.  7,  Sacred  Geography. 

2d  Class.  Nos.  I,  2.  3.  4,  5,  6,  7,  continued.  And  No.  8. 
Algebra,  by  dictation, — and  Colburn.  9.  Rhetoric  and  Composi- 
tion,— Blair's  Lectures  Abridged.  10.  Geometry,  by  Legendre. 
TI.  Natural  Philosophy.  12.  Natural  Theologv,  by  Paley. 

ist  Class.  Nos.  5,  8,  9,  10,  n,  12,  continued,  and  13.  Chron- 
ology. 14.  Moral  Philosophy,  by  Paley.  15.  Forensics.  16. 
Criticisms  on  English  Authors.  17.  Practical  Mathematics,  com- 
prehending Navigation,  Surveying,  Mensuration,  Astronomical 
Calculations,  etc.,  together  with  the  construction  and  use  of 
Mathematical  Instruments.  20.  A  course  of  experimental  lectures 
on  the  various  branches  of  Natural  Philosophy.  21.  Evidences 
of  Christianity,  by  Paley. 

After  this  little  change  took  place  in  the  curriculum  of  the 
school  before  the  end  of  the  period  under  discussion  in  this  chapter. 
The  studies  pursued  in  1827  are  indicated  on  page  21. 

The  great  expansion  of  the  curriculum  of  the  public  secondary 
school  in  Boston  can  clearly  be  seen  in  the  above  curricula.  For 

32  Quoted  Jour,  of  Ed.,  Vol.  I,  page  334.  Also  reproduced  in  part  in 
Amer.  Jour,  of  Ed.,  Vol.  19,  1869,  page  485. 


1 8  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

the  first  time  in  the  history  of  public  education  in  Massachusetts 
the  following  subjects  were  taught  in  a  secondary  school:  logic, 
natural  philosophy,  astronomy,  rhetoric,  moral  philosophy,  political 
philosophy,  bookkeeping,  natural  theology,  evidences  of  Christian- 
ity. Of  these  the  first  five  were  to  be  found  in  the  curriculum 
of  the  Leicester  Academy  for  1824,  and  in  various  other 
academies  most  of  the  other  subjects  found  a  place  at  one  time 
or  another. 

A  new  conception  of  the  aim  and  material  of  secondary  educa- 
tion supported  by  the  public  had  been  inaugurated.  The  academies 
had  previously  increased  the  scope  of  secondary  education  by 
adding  new  subject  matter  to  the  curriculum  and  by  aiming  to 
provide  an  education  which  was  not  designed  for  those  who  were 
to  enter  college.  These  features  a  public  secondary  school  now 
took  over  and,  in  addition  to  the  classical  education  which  aimed 
at  preparing  boys  for  college,  a  school  was  provided  which  deliber- 
ately aimed  to  offer  a  course  of  instruction  designed  for  those 
jboys  who  did  not  intend  to  enter  college. 

In  addition  to  the  influence  of  the  academy  on  the  curriculum 
of  the  public  school  there  was  another  new  element  which  now 
entered  into  the  subject  matter  of  the  secondary  school.  Previous 
to  this  time,  since  the  public  secondary  school  airned  merely  to 
provide  for  a  subsequent  college  course,  the  curriculum  of  that 
school  contained  only  those  subjects  of  study  which  were 
demanded  by  the  college  entrance  requirements  and  no  attempt 
was  made  to  introduce  subjects,  which,  though  important  for  a 
well  rounded  education,  could  better  be  left  for  study  in  the 
college.  When  attention  began  to  be  paid  in  the  secondary  school 
to  the  education  of  boys  not  destined  for  a  college  course,  there 
rose  need  of  some  instruction  in  some  of  the  studies  which  had 
previously  been  relegated  to  the  college_curricu]um^  Hence,  in 
the  case  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  at  Boston,  we 
find  many  of  the  higher  studies  which  have  been  mentioned  above. 

5.    THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  FOR  GIRLS  AT  BOSTON 
i 

The  establishment  in  1826  of  theHigh  School  for  Girls  com- 

pleted  the  secondary  school  system  of  Boston.  Until  this  time 
there  had  existed  no  public  school  of  higher  grade  for  girls  in 
Boston,  or,  in  fact,  in  Massachusetts,  unless  we  except  the 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827     19 

instance  of  Dorchester  previously  mentioned.  The  provision  for 
the  education  of  girls  in  the  academies  has  already  been  dis- 
cussed. 

On  May  loth,  1825,  a  committee  was  appointed  "to  consider 
the  expediency  and  practicability  of  establishing  a  public  school  for 
girls  for  the  instruction  in  the  departments  of  science  and  litera- 
ture." The  arguments  offered  for  the  establishment  of  this 
institution  were  in  substance:  i.  To  afford  a  stimulus  for  higher 
study ;  2.  To  supply  teachers  for  the  primary  schools ;  3.  To  try 
out  the  monitorial  method. 

The  committee  reported  and  its  report  was  unanimously  accepted 
September  26th,  1825.  The  part  of  this  report  directly  affecting 
this  discussion  was  as  follows :  33 

"  Upon  these  points  your  committee  would  propose  that  the 
candidates  for  admission  to  this  school  shall  be  eleven,  and  not 
more  than  fifteen  years  of  age; — that  they  shall  be  admitted  on 
examination  in  those  studies  which  are  pursued  in  the  public 
grammar  schools  of  the  city ; — " 

'That  the  course  of  studies  in  this,  as  in  the  English  High 
School,  shall  be  calculated  to  occupy  three  years ; — 

First  Year 

Required:  No.  i.  Reading  ....  2.  Spelling  ....  3.  Writing 
words  and  sentences  from  dictation  ....  4.  English  grammar 
with  exercises  in  the  same  ....  5.  Composition  . '. .  .  6.  Modern 
and  Ancient  Geography  ....  7.  Intellectual  and  written  arith- 
metic ....  8.  Rhetoric  ....  9.  History  of  the  United  States. 

Allowed:     Logic,  or  Botany. 

Second  Year 

Required:  Nos.  i,  2,  5,  6,  7,  8,  continued  ....  10.  Book- 
keeping by  single  entry  ....  n.  Elements  of  Geometry  .... 
12.  Natural  Philosophy  ....  13.  General  History  ....  14.  His- 
tory of  England 15.  Paley's  Natural  Theology. 

Allowed:  Logic,  Botany,  Demonstrative  Geometry,  Algebra, 
Latin  or  French. 

Third  Year 

Required:     Nos.  i,  5,  12,  15,  continued 16.  Astronomy 

....     17.  Treatise  on  the  use  of  globes  ....     18.  Chemistry  .... 

19.  History  of  Greece 20.  History  of  Rome 21.  Paley's 

Evidences  of  Christianity. 

Allowed :  Logic,  Algebra,  Principles  of  Perspective,  projec- 
tion of  maps,  Botany,  Latin  or  French." 

33  The  High  School  for  Girls,  Boston— An  Account,  February,  1826, 
pp.  12-13. 


2O  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  course  of  study  that  the  higher  educa- 
tion to  be  provided  for  girls  in  Boston  was  in  no  way  inferior  to 
the  education  provided  for  boys  in  the  English  High  School  or 
to  the  education  provided  for  in  the  academies.  For  purposes  of 
comparison  see  the  table  on  page  21. 

The  success  of  this  school  for  girls  was  great  and  immediate, 
so  much  so  that  a  greater  number  of  girls  wished  to  enter  the 
school  than  could  possibly  be  accommodated.  This  gave  rise  to 
the  necessity  of  increasing  the  facilities  for  the  instruction  of 
girls  in  the  higher  studies  either  by  admitting  all  who  might 
apply,  or  by  extending  the  course  of  the  other  schools  then  in 
existence — the  writing  and  grammar  schools.  The  latter  course 
was  adopted  and  in  February,  1828,  A  sub-committee  appointed 
to  consider  the  question  recommended  the  following  changes : 34 

"  I.  The  introduction  of  the  Monitorial  system  into  all  our 
public  Grammar  and  Writing  schools,  as  soon  as  it  is  practicable. 
2.  The  elevating  and  enlarging  the  standard  of  public  education, 
in  our  Grammar  and  Writing  schools,  so  as  to  embrace  the 
branches  taught  recently  in  our  High  School  for  Girls." 

After  much  discussion  these  recommendations  were  adopted 
and  the  High  School  for  Girls  as  an  institution  passed  out  of 
existence,  not  to  be  revived  until  the  middle  of  the  century. 

6.     THE  CURRICULA  OF  VARIOUS  INSTITUTIONS  AT  ABOUT  1827 

jK  The  table  which  follows  will  give  a  basis  for  comparison  of  the 
curricula  of  the  various  types  of  secondary  education  institutions 
at  the  time  of  the  passage  of  the  law  of  1827  which  in  a  more 
specific  and  extensive  way  formed  the  basis  of  the  high  school 
movement  in  Massachusetts.  The  requirements  laid  down  by  the 
law  of  1827  are  given  for  purposes  of  comparison.  Of  the  Boston 
schools  only  such  subjects  for  study  as  appear  set  down  in  the 
regulations  of  the  particular  year  indicated  are  considered.  Spell- 
ing, reading,  writing,  grammar,  arithmetic  and  geography  are  set 
down  in  the  requirements  of  the  law  of  1827,  because  the  law  says 
that  the  high  school  subjects  mentioned  were  to  be  taught  "  in 
addition  to  the  branches  of  learning  aforesaid,"  and  because  they 
were  commonly  found  in  the  curriculum  of  the  higher  school 
either  as  high  school  studies  proper  or  as  studies  for  review. 

34  Report  of  the  Committee.     Quoted  Amer.  Jour,  of  Ed.  XIII,  p.  251. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  1827    21 


TABLE  III 
CURRICULA  OF  VARIOUS  INSTITUTIONS  AT  ABOUT  1827 


LAW  OF 
1827 


BOSTON 

LATIN  SCHOOL, 

1827^ 


BOSTON 
Eng.39  H.  S., 


BOSTON 

Girls'  H.  S., 

1826" 


LEICESTER 

ACADEMY,39 


Spelling  Spelling  ? 

Reading  Reading  Reading  Reading  Reading 

Writing  Writing  ? 

Grammar  Grammar  Grammar  Grammar  Grammar 

Geography  Geography  Geography  Geography  Geography 
Arithmetic  Arithmetic  Arithmetic  Arithmetic  Arithmetic 
Algebra  Algebra  Algebra  Algebra  Algebra 

Geometry  Geometry  Geometry  Geometry  Geometry 

U.  S.  Hist.          U.  S.  Constit.     U.  S.  Hist.          U.  S.  Hist.  \    f  Compend  of 
Gen.  Hist.  History  Gen.  Hist.  Gen.  Hist.    /   \      History 

Latin  Latin  Latin  Latin 

Greek  Greek  %      Greek 

Logic  (Logic,  1821)      Logic  Logic 

Rhetoric  Rhetoric  Rhetoric  Rhetoric 

Surveying  Surveying  Surveying 

Bookkeeping Bookkeeping      Bookkeeping      

Nat.  Phil.  Nat.  Phil 

Astr.  Calc.          Astronomy         Astronomy 

Composition       Composition       Composition  ? 

Ev.  of  Christ.      Ev.  of  Christ 

Nat  Theol.        Nat.  Theol 

Declamation       Declamation       

Forensics  Forensics  

Lit.  Crit.  Lit.  Crit. 

Trigonometry     (Trig.  ,1821)        

Chronology        Chronology          

Navigation          

Mensuration        

Arts  andSci 

Moral  Phil Watts  on  the 

Mind 

Chemistry          Chemistry 

French  (French,  1828) 

Eng.  Hist 

Gk.  and  Rom 

Hist. 
Intel.  Phil. 

35  Regulations  of  the  School  Committee  of  Boston,  1827,  page  7. 

36  Ibid.,  page  24. 

37  The  High  School  for  Girls,  An  Account,  February,  1826,  pages  12-13. 

38  Washburn,  Emory,  Brief  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Leicester  Academy, 
pages  19-34. 

39  Compare  the  programs  of  the  Leicester  Academy  and  of  the  English 
High  School  with  that  of  the  Phillips  Exeter  Academy  for  1818,  quoted 
in  Brown,  E.  E.,  The  Making  of  Our  Middle  Schools,  pages  237-238. 


22  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

7.     SUMMARY  OF  THE  SITUATION  PREVIOUS  TO  THE  LAW  OF  1827 

1 i )  The  period  of  the  first  two  decades  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury together  with  a  period  some  time  previous  to  this  was  one 
of  educational  stagnation  or  even  retrogression  in  Massachusetts 
as  far  as  public  schools  were  concerned.     Certain  specific  con- 
ditions and  causes  of  this  state  of  affairs  have  been  outlined  in 
the  preceding  portion  of  this  chapter  and  are  summarized  below. 
The  general  state  of  affairs   was  plainly  indicated  in  the  con- 
temporary literature  dealing  with  the  subject:     "The  decline  of 
popular  education  among  us,  or  rather  the  comparatively  retro- 
grade motion  of  .the  principal  means  of  it,  has  been  more  per- 
ceptible, during  the  last  twenty  or  thirty  years,  than  it  ever  was 
at  any  former  period."  40  * 

"  The  free  schools,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  had  received  almost 
no  legislative  attention,  protection,  or  bounty,  for  nearly  forty 
years.  Of  course,  instead  of  taking  the  lead  in  improvement,  as 
they  should  have  done,  they  remained  as  nearly  stationary  as  any 
institution  can  remain,  in  such  an  age  and  such  a  state  of  society, 
as  those  in  which  we  live."41  For  a  further  commentary  on  this 
see  also  Horace  Mann's  remarks  quoted  on  page  29. 

(2)  The    Latin    grammar    school,    the    only    institution    for 
secondary  education  previous  to  the  inception  of  the  academy, 
and   the  only   type  of   institution   supported  by   the  public   for 
secondary  education  throughout  the  period  previous  to  the  act 
of  1827,  had  in  most  cases  lost  its  prestige  and  the  greater  part 
of  its  usefulness  by  that  date. 

/  (3)     The  academy  beginning  about  the  last  quarter   of  the 

/eighteenth  century,  had  developed  by  1827  into  an  important  insti- 

/tution  and  had  usurped  a  large  part  of  the  function  of  the  Latin 

I  grammar  school.    "  But  the  academies  have  had  another  influence 

upon  the  public  town  schools,  which  has  much  impaired  their 

usefulness,  and,  if  not  so6n  checked,  it  will  ultimately  destroy 

them.     This  influence,  operating  for  a  series  of  years,  has  led, 

already,  to  the  abandonment  of  a  part  of  the  free  school  system, 

and   to   a   depreciation   in   the   character   and   prospects    of   the 

remaining  part."  42 

40  Carter,  James  C,  Essays  upon  Popular  Education,  Boston,  1826,  page  23. 

41  Ib id.,  advertisement,  page  4. 

42  Ibid.,  page  30. 


Educational  Situation  in  Massachusetts  Previous  to  i#<?7    23 

Whether  or  not  the  academy  actually  aided  directly  in  the  down- 
fall of  the  Latin  grammar  school  (an  argument  which  would  seem 
to  have  been  somewhat  exaggerated),  it  certainly  must  have  con- 
tributed much  to  prevent  its  resuscitation  and  supplanted  it  as  an 
agency  of  secondary  education. 

(4)  Three  elements  the  academy  contributed  to  the  practice 
and  theory  of  secondary  education:  the  introduction  of  new  sub- 
ject matter  into  the  curriculum  of  the  secondary  school ;   the 
conception  that  a  type  of  secondary  school  was  required  which 
was  not  entirely  designed  to  afford  preparation  for  college;  and 

\    the  furtherance  or  introduction  of  higher  education  for  girls. 

(5)  The_  district     school     system,     beginning     during     the 
eighteenth  century,  Had  by  i82y  gained  a  dominance  in  the  field 
of  public  education  which  reacted  unfavorably  on  the  institutions 
for  secondary  education. 

(6)  In  the  case  of  the  English  Classical   (High)   School  of 
Boston  a  new  type  of  secondary  school  was  inaugurated  which 
carried  over  into  the  public  system  certain  of  the  new  conceptions 
of  secondary  education  that  had  previously  been  confined  to  the 
academy. 

(7)  The    establishment    of   the    High    School    for    Girls    in 
Boston  in   1826  introduced  into  the  public  secondary  school  of 
Massachusetts  a  new  theory  and  a  new  practice  in  the  higher 
education  of  girls. 


CHAPTER  II 

LEGAL       PROVISIONS       REGARDING       SECONDARY 

SCHOOLS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 

f 

The  rise  and  development  of  the  secondary  school  in  Massa- 
chusetts had  a  very  intimate  relation  with  state  legislation.  At 
a  very  early  period  the  state  assumed  the  right  to  require  the 
establishment  and  maintenance  of  secondary  schools  and  to  con- 
trol the  character  of  them.  The  various  subsequent  acts  of  the 
legislature  fostered  these  principles  and  by  the  beginning  of  the 
second  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century  these  various  acts  had 
set  up  a  standard  for  secondary  schools  which  was  settled  in  its 
policy,  definite  in  its  requirements,  and  essentially  complete  in 
its  scope.  From  that  time  on  various  minor  changes  were  made 
in  the  statutory  provisions  and  several  attempts  were  made  to 
limit  the  scope  of  the  law,  but  the  former  did  not  alter  the  essential 
character  of  the  legal  provisions  and  the  latter  were  but  tempor- 
ary measures  which  were  soon  repealed.  To  trace  the  develop- 
ment of  the  legal  provisions  in  Massachusetts  so  far  as  they  affect 
the  secondary  school  is  the  aim  of  the  chapter. 

i.     THE  STATUTES  PREVIOUS  TO  1827 

Legislation  pertaining  to  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of 
higher  public  schools  in  Massachusetts  had  its  beginning  in  the 
well  known  law  passed  by  the  General  Court  in  I647.1 

"  It  is  therefore  ordered,  that  every  township  in  this  jurisdic- 
tion, after  the  Lord  hath  increased  them  to  the  number  of  fifty 
householders,  shall  then  forthwith  appoint  one  within  their  towne 
to  teach  all  such  children  as  shall  resort  to  him  to  write  and  reade, 
whose  wages  shall  be  paid  either  by  the  parents  or  masters  of 
such  children,  or  by  the  inhabitants  in  generall,  by  the  way  of 

1  Records  of  the  Governor  and  Company  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in 
New  England,  Nov.  n,  1647,  H>  page  203. 
24 


Provisions  Regarding  Secondary  Schools  in  Massachusetts     25 

supply,  as  the  major  part  of  those  that  order  the  prudentials  of 
the  towne  shall  appoint;  provided,  those  that  send  their  children 
be  not  oppressed  by  paying  much  more  than  they  can  have  them 
taught  for  in  other  townes :  and  it  is  further  ordered,  that  where 
any  towne  shall  increase  to  the  number  of^ioo  families_or  house- 
holders, they  shall  set  up  a  grammar  scrKDoIeTthe  master  thereof 
being  able  to  instruct  youth  so  farr  as  they  may  be  fited  for  the 
university,  provided,  that  if  any  towne  neglect  the  performance 
KereoFaBbve  one  yeare.  that  every  such  towne  shall  pay  5  pounds 
to  the  next  schoole  till  they  shall  performe  this  order." 

In  this  law,  apart  from  the  importance  of  the  general  principles 
established  regarding  the  right  of  the  state  to  require  towns  to 
maintain  schools  and  the  right  of  determining  the  general  scope 
of  the  education  to  be  provided,  it  is  pertinent  to  the  present 
discussion  to  note  the  following  points : 

/    (i)     That  the  state  made  a  division  between  a  lower  (reading 
/  and  writing)  school  and  a  higher  (grammar)  school. 

(2)     That  the   state   determined  the   function  of   the  higher 
I  school  of  fitting  boys  for  the  university. 

\  The  essential  characteristics  of  this  law  of  1647  remained  the 
basis  of  educational  legislation  throughout  the  seventeenth  and 
eighteenth  centuries  and  are  to  be  found  in  the  act  passed  June 

cn  contained  the  following  provisions:2 
)  That  every  town  or  district  of  fifty  families  or  house- 
holders should  be  provided  with  a  school-master  or  school- 
masters, of  good  morals,  to  teach  children  to  read  and  write,  and 
to  instruct  them  in  the  English  language,  as  well  a$  in  arith- 
metic, orthography,  and  decent  behavior,  for  such  term  of  time 
as  should  be  equivalent  to  six  months  for  one  school  in  each  year. 

(2)  That    every    town    or    district    containing    one    hundred 
families,  or  householders,  should  be  provided  with  such  school- 
master or  school-masters,   for  such  term  of  time  as  should  be 
equivalent  to  twelve  months,  for  one  school  in  each  year. 

(3)  That  every  town  or  district  containing  one  hundred  and 
fifty   families,    or    householders,    should   be   provided   with   such 
school-master  or  school-masters,  for  such  term  of  time  as  should 
be  equivalent  to  six  months  in  each  year;  and  should,  in  addition 
thereto,  be  provided  with  a  school-master  or  school-masters  as, 
before  described,  to  instruct  children  in  the  English  language,  for 

2  Laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  1789,  Chapter  XIX,  Sections  1-6. 


26  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

such  term  of  time,  as  should  be  equivalent  to  twelve  months  for 
one  school  in  each  year. 

(4)  That,  in  addition  to  the  lower  schools,  every  town  or  dis- 
trict containing  two  hundred  families,  or  householders,  should  be 
provided  with  a  grammar  school-master  of  good  morals,   well 
instructed  in  the  Latin,  Greek  and  English  languages. 

(5)  "That  no  youth  shall  be  sent  to  such  grammar  schools 
unless  they  shall  have  learned,  in  some  other  school  or  in  some 
other  way,  to  read  the  English  language,  by  spelling  the  same, 
or  the  Selectmen  of  the  town  where  such  grammar  school  is,  shall 
direct  the  grammar  school-master  to  receive  and  instruct  such 
youth." 

(6)  That  no  one  should  be  employed  as  a  grammar  school- 
master unless  he  had  received  an  education  in  some  college  or  uni- 
versity and  produced  a  certificate  from  some  minister  "  that  he  is 
of  competent  skill  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages  "  and  "  that, 
to  the  best  of  his  or  their  knowledge,  he  sustains  a  good  moral 
character." 

(7)  That  failure  to  comply  with  the  provisions  above  cited 
rendered  towns  of  fifty  families  liable  to  a  penalty  of  ten  pounds, 
towns  of  one  hundred  families  liable  to  a  penalty  of  twenty  pounds, 
towns  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  families  liable  to  a  penalty  of 
thirty  pounds,  and  towns  of  two  hundred  families,  for  not  sup- 
porting a  grammar  school,  liable  to  a  penalty  of  thirty  pounds. 

This  law  remained  in  force  until  1827,  unaffected  by  the  laws 
of  1800,  1802,  1811,  1815,  1817,  and  1822,  so  far  as  the  pro- 
visions above  mentioned  were  concerned,  and,  so  far  as  legal  pro- 
vision was  concerned,  was  the  basis  of  the  grammar  schools  in 
operation  at  the  beginning  of  the  period  to  be  considered  in  this 
discussion. 

By  the  law  approved  February  i8th,  ^824^ the  provisions  of  the 
law  of  1789  were  practically  nullified  in  so  far  as  they  affected  the 
maintenance  of  grammar  schools,  the  act  of  that  date  providing : 3 

"  That  any  town  in  this  Commonwealth  containing  less  thanjive^ 
^thousand  inhabitants  and  now  required  by  law  to  be  provided  with 
a  schoot-rriaster  or  with   school-masters,  well  instructed  in  the 
Latin  and  Greek  languages,  shall,  after  the  passing  of  this  act, 
if  such  town  shall  elect,  at  their  annual  meeting  in  March  or 

3  Laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  January  Session,  1824,  Chapter  CXI, 
Section  i. 


Provisions  Regarding  Secondary  Schools  in  Massachusetts    27 

April,  duly  warned  for  the  purpose,  be  provided  instead  thereof, 
with  a  teacher  or  teachers,  well  qualified  to  instruct  youth  in 
Orthography,  Reading,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  English  Grammar, 
Geography,  and  good  behavior,  whose  qualifications  shall  be  cer- 
tified in  like  manner  as  is  provided  in  the  case  of  public  school- 
masters in  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages." 

By  the  provisions  of  this  law,  according  to  the  census  returns 
of  1820,  all  but  seven  towns  of  the  state  were  freed  from  the 
obligation  of  maintaining  the  old  type  grammar  school.  These 
seven  towns  were:  Gloucester  (population  6384),  Marblehead 
(population  5630),  Newburyport  (population  6852),  Salem 
(population  12,731),  Charlestown  (population  6591),  Nantucket 
(population  7266),  Boston  (population  43,298).  The  law  of  1789, 
out  of  a  total  of  296  towns  enumerated  in  the  census  lists  of  1820, 
had  required  the  maintenance  of  a  Latin  grammar  school  in  215 
towns  reckoning  five  persons  to  the  family  or  of  173  towns  reck- 
oning six  persons  to  the  family.4  Thus  at  one  blow  the  number 
of  towns  required  by  law  to  maintain  Latin  grammar  schools  was 
reduced  from  215  (or  173)  to  seven,  and  permission  was  given 
to  substitute  a  school  of  lower  type  which  did  not  provide  for 
instruction  in  the  classical  languages  and  did  not  provide  for  ad- 
mission to  college. 


The  legislation  of  1789  and  of  1824  soon  gave  way  to  a  much 
more  comprehensive  and  much  better  law  which  was  approved 
by  the  governor  March  loth,  1 827.5  This  statute  formed  the 
basis  of  all  subsequent  legislation  regarding  education  'in  Massa- 
chusetts and  is  of  particular  importance  here  as  instituting  a  new 
departure  in  the  field  of  secondary  education,  providing  as  it  did 
for  two  types  of  higher  schools. 

"  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in 
General  Court  assembled  and  by  the  authority  of  the  same.    That    , 
each^town  or  district  within  this  Commonwealth,  containing  fifty    / 
families,  or  householders,  shall  be  provided  with  a  teacher  or 
teachers,  of  good  morals,  to  instruct  children  in  orthography,  read- 

4  On  the  basis  of  family  and  house-holder  enumeration.  Cf.  Horace  Mann 
in  the  First  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education,  1838,  page 
51;  Twenty-fourth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary,  1861,  page  93;  Twen- 
tieth Report,  1857,  page  85.  Cf.  also  Mass.  System  of  Common  Schools, 
page  n,  footnote. 

*Laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  January  Session,  1827,  Chapter 
CXLIII,  sections  i,  19,  21. 


28  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

ing,  writing,  English  grammar,  geography,  arithmetic,  and  good 
behavior,  for  such  term  of  time  as  shall  be  equivalent  to  six  months 
for  one  school  in  each  year ;  and  every  town  or  district  containing 
one  hundred  families  or  householders,  shall  be  provided  with  such 
teacher  or  teachers,  for  such  term  of  time  as  shall  be  equivalent 
to  eighteen  months,  for  one  school  in  each  year.  And  every  city, 
town,  or  district,  containing  five  hundred  families,  or  householders, 
shall  be  provided  with  such  teacher  or  teachers  for  such  term  of 
time  as  shall  be  equivalent  to  twenty-four  months,  for  one  school 
in  each  year,  and  shall  also  be  provided  with  a  master  of  good 
morals,  competent  to  instruct,  in  addition  to  the  branches  of  learn- 
ing aforesaid,  the  history  of  the  United  States,  bookkeeping  by 
single  entry,  geometry,  surveying,  and  algebra ;  and  shall  employ 
such  master  to  instruct  a  school,  in  such  city,  town,  or  district, 
for  the  benefit  of  all  the  inhabitants  thereof,  at  least  ten  months 
in  each  year,  exclusive  of  vacations,  in  such  convenient  place,  or 
alternately  at  such  places  in  such  city,  town,  or  district,  as  the 
said  inhabitants,  at  their  meeting  in  March,  or  April,  annually, 
shall  determine ;  and  in  every  city,  or  town,  containing  four  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  such  master  shall  be  competent  in  addition  to  all 
the  foregoing  branches,  to  instruct  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages, 
history,  rhetoric,  and  logic." 

As  a  penalty  for  the  neglect  to  provide  for  the  various  schools 
required  by  law  a  fine  was  set  as  "  a  sum1  equal  to  twice  the  highest 
sum  which  such  town  has  ever  voted  to  raise  for  the  support  of 
schools  therein." 

In  this  law  should  be  noted  the  following  facts : 

(1)  A  four-fold  provision  is  made  for  the  maintenance  of 
schools,  the  differentiation  being  based  on  population. 

(2)  Provision  is  made  for  a  new  type  of  higher  school  which 
differed  essentially  from  the  old  grammar  school,  especially  by 
the  omission  of  Latin  and  Greek,  subjects  which  were  then  rele- 
gated to  the  higher  grade  of  upper  schools, 

(3)  Specific  requirements  are  made  regarding  the  studies  to 
be  taught  in  the  various  schools. 

(4)  Definite  requirements  are  made  regarding  the  maintenance 
of  the  higher  schools  "  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  inhabitants  ...  at 
least  ten  months   in  each  year,   exclusive  of  vacations."     This 
factor  became  one  of  the  chief  characteristics  of  the  high  school 
in  distinction  from  the  common  schQQl§.  reference  being  constantly 
made  in  the  reports  to  the  "  Town  School "  and  the  "  school  for 
the  benefit  of  all  the  inhabitants." 


Provisions  Regarding  Secondary  Schools  in  Massachusetts    29 

(5)  A  heavy  penalty  was  attached  to  non-compliance  with  the 
law. 

This  law  was  by  far  the  most  comprehensive  law  that  had  as 
yet  been  passed  in  Massachusetts  and  if  its  provisions  had  been 
properly  met  the  growth  of  the  high  school  in  that  state  would 
have  been  greatly  accelerated.  Strict  accordance  with  these  pro- 
visions would  have  required  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  high  schools  of  the  lower  grade  (on  the  basis  that  five  hun- 
dred families  equalled  3000  inhabitants0)  in  thirty  towns  accord- 
ing to  the  census  of  1820,  in  thirty-five  towns  according  to  the 
census  of  1830,  and  in  forty-four  towns  according  to  the  census 
of  1837  and  that  of  1840.  j  According  to  the  same  provisions  high 
schools  of  the  higher  grade  would  have  been  required  in  thirteen 
cities  and  towns  according  to  the  census  of  1820,  in  twenty- two 
cities  and  towns  in  1830,  and  in  twenty-five  cities  and  towns  ac- 
cording to  the  census  of  1837  and  that  of  1840.  As  late  as  1837, 
according  to  the  estimate  of  Horace  Mann,7  there  existed  not 
more  than  thirteen  towns  which  maintained  high  schools  of  either 
type.  The  immediate  causes  of  this  state  of  affairs  will -be  dis- 
cussed later  8  but  it  may  be  enough  to  note  in  passing  the  low  state 
of  educational  interests  during  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  This  is  clearly  indicated  by  Horace  Mann  in  the  Twelfth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education  (1849, 
page  17)  :  "  Facts  incontrovertibly  show,  that,  for  a  series  of 
years  previous  to  1837,  tne  school  system  of  Massachusetts  had 
been  running  down.  .  .  .  The  final  dissolution, .in  1833,  of  territorial 
parishes,  loosened,  and  often  wholly  severed,  those  bonds  by  which 
the  clergymen  had  before  considered  themselves  attached  to  the 
schools,  and  obligated  to  superintend  them  as  a  part  of  their  paro- 
chial duty.  To  crown  the  whole,  and  to  aggravate  the  deteriora- 
tion which  it  proved  to  exist,  the  private  school  system  was 
rapidly  drawing  the  funds,  patronizing  the  talent,  and  withdraw- 
ing the  sympathy,  which  belonged  to  the  public  schools.  All 
.these  things  were  undeniably  true."  A  still  clearer  statement  is 
made  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education  in  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  in  1861 :  9  "  Previous  to 

6  Cf.  footnote,  page  27. 

7  First  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education,  1838, 
page  51. 

8  Cf.  pages  37  ff. 

9  Secretary's  Report  for  1861,  page  61. 


30  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

the  year  1837,  there  had  been  no  special  attention  given  to  the 
schools  of  the  state.  There  had  been  no  department  of  the  govern- 
ment devoted  to  the  interests  of  education,  and  the  results  of  this 
neglect  were  manifest  in  the  low  condition  of  the  schools  generally 
throughout  the  Commonwealth.  The  school  returns  first  required 
by  law  in  i82610  and  especially  the  establishment  of  the  school 
fund  in  1834  had  wrought  a  favorable  change,  but  the  reformation 
did  not  really  commence  until  the  establishment  of  the  Board  of 
Education." 

3.  CHANGES  IN  THE  STATUTES  1827-1857 

In  view  of  these  facts  it  is  not  strange  to  find  a  somewhat 
reactionary  measure  passed  in  I829.11  An  act  of  the  legislature 
passed  on  March  3d  of  that  year  with  reference  to  "  Town 
Schools  "  made  it  optional  for  towns  of  five  hundred  families  to 
maintain  such  schools  as  were  required  by  the  law  of  1827  pro- 
vided the  money  raised  for  the  support  of  schools  was  not  "  less 
than  the  highest  sum  which  has  been  raised  by  such  town  within 
the  four  years  last  past." 

In  the  Revised  Statutes  0^1835  12  the  act  of_i82^was  repealed 
and  the  general  provisions  of  the  law  of  1827  were  revived  in  full. 

A  further  reaction  came  about  in  the  law  passed  March  21, 
1840  13  which  provided  "  that  any  town  now  required  by  law  to 
maintain  such  a  school  as  is  described  by  the  fifth  section  of  the 
twenty-third  chapter  of  the  Revised  Statutes,14  shall  be  released 
from  their  obligation  by  raising  and  expending  annually  for  the 
support  of  town  or  district  schools,  twenty-five  per  cent,  more 
than  the  greatest  sum  ever  raised  by  assessment  by  said  town, 
for  this  object,  before  the  passage  of  this  act,  anything  in  said 
section  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding."  Regarding  this  law 
Horace  Mann  had  this  to  say : 15  "  This  76th  chapter  of  the 
statutes  of  1840  is  the  only  backward  movement,  the  State  had 
made,  during  the  last  twelve  years.  That  step  is  now  retraced. 
By  the  fifth  section  of  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the  Revised 
Statutes,  every  town  of  it,  containing  a  specified  number  of  in- 

10  Laws  of  the  Commonwealth,  1826,  Chapter  143. 

11  Laws  of  the  Commonwealth,  1829,  Chapter  CXXVIII. 
^Revised  Statutes,  1835,  Title  X,  Chapter  23,  Sections  I,  5,  6. 
3  Laws  of  the  Commonwealth,  1840,  Chapter  76. 

14  Revised  Statutes,  1835,  Chapter  23. 

15  Secretary's  Report  for  1849,  XII,  page  30. 


Provisions  Regarding  Secondary  Schools  in  Massachusetts    31 

habitants,  was  obliged  to  maintain  a  high  school.  The  act  of 
1840  released  the  towns  from  this  obligation  on  the  performance 
of  an  easy  condition.  The  act  of  the  present  year  reimposed  the 
obligation  unconditionally,  to  keep  a  high  school." 

The  law  referred  to  in  the  last  sentence  of  the  above  quotation 
was  that  passed  in  lS4§.16  repealing  the  law  of  j 840  .and  reviving 
the  provisions  oTthe  law  of  1827  and  1835.  During  the  inter- 
vening period  the  possibility  of  avoiding  the  maintenance  of  high 
schools  was  taken  advantage  of  by  several  towns :  e.g.,  Pittsfield 
(i846),17  Haverhill  (?  Report  for  1851,  p.  13),  Grafton  (?  Re- 
port for  1849),  Leominster  (  ?  Report  for  1848-9,  p.  10).  Cf.  also 
Chapter  III. 

The  law  approved  May  3d,  .1850  18  was  not  so  reactionary  as 
that  of  1840  but  offered  relief  to  towns  of  less  than  8000  inhabi- 
tants where  the  machinery  of  the  district  system  rendered  the 
maintenance  of  a  high  school  for  the  whole  town  difficult. 

"  Towns  coming  within  the  requirements  of  the  fifth  section  of 
the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  but  of  less  than 
eight  thousand  inhabitants  by  the  next  decennial  census,~may  be 
exempt  from  said  requirements:  provided,  that  they  maintain,  in 
each  year,  two  or  more  schools,  in  such  districts  as  the  school 
committee  shall  approve,  for  terms  of  time  that  shall,  together,  be 
equivalent  to  twelve  months  and  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  in- 
habitants, kept  by  masters  who,  in  addition  to  the  branches  of 
instruction  enumerated  in  the  first  section  of  said  chapter,  shall  be 
competent  to  give  instruction  in  the  history  of  the  United  States, 
bookkeeping,  surveying,  geometry,  and  algebra,  and  also,  in  towns 
containing  four  thousand  inhabitants,  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages, general  history,  rhetoric,  and  logic.:  provided  also,  that 
no  one  of  said  schools  shall  be  kept  for  a  less  term  than  three 
months." 

The  conditions  which  gave  rise  to  this  law  will  be  discussed  in 
connection  with  the  relation  of  the  high  school  to  the  district  sys- 
tem in  Chapter  IV,  pages  61-65.  According  to  the  census  of 
1850  eighty -five  towns  came  under  the  provisions  of  this  law  and 
in  numerous  cases  advantage  was  taken  of  it. 

The  agitation  against  the  district  system  which  had  been  grow- 
ing for  several  years  manifested  itself  in  the  law  approved  April 

16  General  and  Special  Statutes,  for  1848,  Chapter  283. 

17  Smith,  J.  E.  A.,  The  Public  School  System  of  the  Town  of  Pittsfield, 
1761-1880,  page  23. 

18  Acts  and  Resolves  for  1850,  Chapter  274. 


32  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

1 4th,  i853,19  which  empowered  the  school  committee  to  discon- 
tinue~the  district  system  at  its  discretion.  While  this  law  was 
permissive  only  and  did  not  put  an  end  to  the  district  system  in 
actual  practice,  nevertheless  it  did  relieve  the  necessity  for  the 
provisions  of  the  law  of  1850.  Accordingly  by  the  act  approved 
May  22d,  i857,20  the  law  of  1850  was  repealed  and  the  essential 
requirements  of  the  Revised  Statutes  regarding  the  maintenance 
of  high  schools  were  revived. 

Notwithstanding  the  legislation  of  1853  and  of  May  22d,  1857, 
the  adherents  of  the  district  system  were  still  strong,  and  by  the 
law  passed  May  3Oth,  1857  21  the  law  of  1853  was  repealed  leav- 
ing the  legal  provisions  for  the  district  system  as  they  were  be- 
fore the  passage  of  the  last  mentioned  law. 

By  the  law  passed  May  22d,  j857,22  the  provisions  regarding 
the  studies  of  the  public  schools  were  so  changed  as  to  include 
algebra  and  the  history  of  the  United  States  in  the  curriculum  of 
the  elementary  schools,  and  physiology  and  hygiene  as  permissive 
studies  in  the  same  schools.  By  the  same  law  natural  philosophy, 
chemistry,  botany,  the  civil  polity  of  Massachusetts  and  of  the 
United  States,  and  Latin  were  added  to  the  requirements  of  the 
high  schools  of  lower  grade.  To  the  requirements  for  high  schools 
of  higher  grade  were  added  French,  astronomy,  geology,  in- 
tellectual and  moral  science,  and  political  economy.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that  several  subjects  were  reduced  from  higher  to  lower 
grade  schools  and  a  number  of  new  subjects  were  introduced. 

4.  THE  LAW  AS  IT  STOOD  AT  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  PERIOD 

All  of  the  changes  made  by  the  law  above  cited  were  incor- 
porated in  the  revision  of  iSsc^23  The  law  determining  the 
establishment,  maintenance  and  character  of  the  schools  in  Massa- 
chusetts at  the  close  of  the  period  considered  in  this  discussion  was 
the  law  as  it  stood  in  the  General  Statutes  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts, Sections  one  and  two  of  Chapter  Thirty-Eight  deal  with 
the  maintenance  and  character  of  the  elementary  and  high  schools : 

"  Section  I.  In  every  town  there  shall  be  kept,  for  at  least  six 
months  in  each  year,  at  the  expense  of  said  town,  by  a  teacher 

19  Acts  and  Resolves,  1853,  Chapter  153. 

20  Acts  and  Resolves,  1857,  Chapter  206. 

21  Acts  and  Resolves,  1857,  Chapter  254. 

^Acts  and  Resolves,  1857,  Chapter  206,  Sections  1-2. 
23  General  Statutes,  Revised  in   1859,  Chapter  38. 


> 


Provisions  Regarding  Secondary  Schools  in  Massachusetts    33 

or  teachers  of  competent  ability  and  good  morals,  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  schools  for  the  instruction  of  all  children  who  may  legally 
attend  public  schools  therein,  in  orthography,  reading,  writing, 
English  grammar,  geography,  arithmetic,  the  history  of  the  United 
States,  and  good  behavior.  Algebra,  vocal  music,  drawing,  phy- 
siology, and  hygiene  shall  be  taught  by  lectures  or  otherwise,  in 
all  the  public  schools  in  which  the  school  committee  deem  it  ex- 
pedient. 

Section  2.  Every  town  may,  and  every  town  containing  five 
hundred  families,  or  householders,  shall,  besides  the  schools  pre- 
scribed in  the  preceding  section,  maintain  a  school  to  be  kept  by  a 
master  of  competent  ability  and  good  morals,  who,  in  addition 
to  the  branches  of  learning  before  mentioned,  shall  give  instruction 
in  general  history,  bookkeeping,  surveying,  geometry,  natural 
philosophy,  chemistry,  botany,  the  civil  polity  of  this  Common- 
wealth and  of  the  United  States,  andthe  Latin  language.  Such 
last  mentioned  school  shall  be  kjtfjjfo:  the  benefit  of  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town,  ten  moi|  mt  lea^yxclusive  of  vaca- 
tions, in  each  year,  and  at  such^  FenieiiPplace,  or  alternately 
at  such  places,  in  the  town,  as  trre^^al  voters  at  their  annual 
meeting  determine.  And  in  every  town  containing  four  thousand 
inhabitants,  the  teacher  or  teachers  of  the  schools  required  by 
this  section,  shall,  in  addition  to  the  branch  of  instruction  before 
required,  be  competent  to  give  instruction  in  the  Greek  and 
French  languages,  astronomy,  geology,  rhetoric,  logic,  intellectual 
and  moral  science  and  political  economy. 

Section  3.  Two  adjacent  towns,  having  each  less  than  five  hun- 
dred families  or  householders,  may  form  one  high  school  district, 
for  establishing  such  a  school  as  is  contemplated  in  the  preceding 
section,  when  a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  of  each  town,  in 
meeting  called  for  that  purpose,  so  determine. 

Section  14.  A  town  which  refuses  or  neglects  to  raise  money 
for  the  support  of  schools  as  required  by  this  chapter,  shall  forfeit 
a  sum  equal  to  twice  the  highest  sum  ever  before  voted  for  the 
support  of  schools  therein." 

5.  HIGH  SCHOOLS  PERMITTED  IN  SMALLER  TOWNS 

It  remains  to  treat  of  one  phase  of  the  legal  provisions  regard- 
ing the  establishment  of  high  schools,  a  phase  indicated  in  the 
third  word  of  the  second  section  and  in  the  third  section  of  the 
law  above  quoted.  The  law  of  1827  made  no  provision  for  the 
establishment  of  high  schools  in  towns  of  less  than  five  hundred 
families  and  there  appears  no  indication  that  any  town  of  that 
grade  attempted  the  establishment  of  a  high  school  previous  to 
i835_when  Medford  (its  population  in  1830  was  1755  and 
3 


34  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

was  2075)  established  a  high  school.24  In  that  year,  however, 
permission  was  given  by  the  sixth  section  of  the  twenty-third 
chapter  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  subsequent  to  which  an  ever-in- 
creasing number  of  the  smaller  towns  availed  themselves  of  this 
privilege,  a  topic  which  will  be  further  discussed  in  Chapter  III, 
page  48. 

Permission  to  maintain  "a  Union  School,  to  be  kept  for  the 
benefit  of  the  older  children  "  was  granted  in  the  case  of  con- 
tiguous school  districts  by  the  law  of  April  25th,  i838.25  More 
specific  provisions  were  made  in  the  law  of  May  9th,  i848:26 

"  Section  i.  Any  two  adjacent  towns,  having  not  more  than 
two  thousand  inhabitants  each,  may  form  one  high  school  district, 
for  establishing  such  a  school  as  is  contemplated  in  the  fifth  sec- 
tion of  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  when- 
ever a  majority  of  the  citizens  of  each  town,  in  meetings  called 
for  that  purpose,  shall  so  determine." 

It  will  be  noted  that  in  the  above  resume  of  the  legislation 
affecting  high  schools  no  specific  discussion  has  been  given  of  the 
actual  compliance  with  the  laws.  This  will  be  found  more  prop- 
erly in  the  discussion  of  "The  Establishment  of  High  Schools'" 
in  Chapter  III.  Likewise  the  detailed  discussion  of  the  subjects 
required  to  be  taught  has  been  omitted  here.  This  will  be  found  in 
the  treatment  of  the  "High  School  Curriculum"  in  Chapters  V 
and  VI. 

^Abstract  of  Massachusetts  School  Returns  for  1835. 

25  Laws    of    the    Common/wealth    of   Mass.,  Jan.    Session,    1838,   Chap. 
CLXXXIX. 

26  General  and  Special  Statutes  of  the  State  of  Mass.,  1848,  Chapter  279. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  HIGH  SCHOOLS 

i.  MEANING  OF  THE  TERM  HIGH  SCHOOL 

> 

Before  attempting  to  discuss  the  establishment  of  high  schools 
in  Massachusetts  it  is  necessary  to  arrive  at  a  clear  understand- 
ing of  the  meaning  of  that  term  in  this  particular  connection.  It 
is  not  the  intention  here  to  trace  the  origin  of  the  name  nor  to 
establish  its  meaning  in  other  places.  As  far  as  Massachusetts  is 
concerned  the  term  "  high  school "  had  a  meaning  which  was 
definitely  determined  both  by  popular  usage  and  by  statutory  pro- 
visions. 

The  first  school  of  the  newer  type  established  in -Massachusetts 
was  the  English  Classical  School  (then  so  called)  of  Boston 
which  was  opened  in  May  Jt82i^  The  term  "  English  High 
School "  occurs  first  in  the  records  of  the  Boston  school  commit- 
tee of  June  23d,  1824  and  the  school  was  so  termed  in  common 
usage  until  1832.  In  the  records  of  March  I3th  of  that  year  the 
original  name  was  restored  and  so  remained  until  February  I2th, 
1833  when  the  name  "  English  High  School "  was  formally 
adopted.1 

When  the  High  School  for  Girls  was  founded  in  1826  the 
term  "  high  school "  was  adopted  and  that  name  continued  until 
the  suspension  of  the  school  in  1 828.2 

The  act  of  1827  which  provided  for  the  type  of  school  which 
was  afterward  recognized  as  "  high  school "  did  not  give  any- 
specific  name  to  the  schools  which  it  provided  for  in  towns  of  five 
hundred  families  and  of  four  thousand  inhabitants.  The  phrase 
therein  employed  "  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  inhabitants "  became 
recognized  as  indicating  what  were  later  termed  "  high  schools  " 
as  distinguished  from  the  lower  or  "  district "  schools.  Thus  the 

1  See  the  reports  of  the  school  committee  for  the  years  1824-1833,  and 
Brown,  E.  E.,  The  Making  of  Our  Middle  Schools,  pp.  307  ff. 

2  See  the  reports  of  the  school  committee  for  the  years  1826-28,  and 
An  Account  of  the  High  School  for  Girls,  Boston,  1826. 

35 


36  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

'  terms  a  school  "  for  all  the  inhabitants "  or  a  "  town  school " 
came  to  have  the  meaning  of  the  school  of  higher  grade  pro- 
1  vided  for  in  the  law  of  1827  and  other  subsequent  laws  based  on 
\it.  Hence  we  find  the  following  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the 
General  School  Committee  of  Manchester  (Mass.)  for  the  year 
ending  March  4th,  1849:  "  A  High  School  is  no  ambiguous  thing. 
It  is  a  term  that  possesses  an  exact  and  well  defined  meaning.. 
It  is  neither  a  primary  or  a  grammar  school,  nor  a  compound  of 
the  two,  without  any  regard  to  age  or  attainment,  but  a  school 
distinct  by  itself,  to  which  there  is  no  access,  except  through  the 
two  first.  Thus  High  School  has  been  defined  for  years  past 
and  this  definition  of  them  is  recognized  in  our  Revised  Statutes 
(1835)  and  whenever  schools  are  spoken  of,  '  for  the  whole  town/ 
as  the  saying  is." 

In  the  statutes  the  term  "  high  school "  first  appeared  in  the 
preamble  to  Chapter  76  of  the  Laws  of  Massachusetts  for  1840, 
and  in  the  body  of  the  statutes  of  1848,  Chapter  279,  section  i. 
Long  before  this,  however,  the  term  was  in  common  use  and  the 
term  "  grammar  school;,"  had  been  relegated  to  a  lower  depart- 
ment or  to  such  of  the  old  Latin  grammar  schools  as  still  sur- 
vived.3 

The  term  "  high  school,"  therefore,  was  generally  employed  to 
/  denominate  such  schools  as  were  provided  for  in  the  second  clause 
of  the  first  section  of  the  one  hundred  forty-third  chapter  of  the 
statutes  of  1827  and  in  the  fifth  section  of  the  twenty-third  chapter 
of  the  Revised  Statutes  of  1835.  Hence  the  high  school  in  Massa- 
chusetts had  a  legal  status  and  had  to  meet  certain  legal  require- 
ments : 

(i)  It  must  be  a  town  school  "for  the  benefit  of  all  the 
inhabitants." 

/  (2)  It  must  provide  instruction  in  such  subjects  as  were  re- 
quired by  law.  These,  of  course,  varied  at  different  periods. 
Cf.  pages  71-73. 

(3)  It  must  be  maintained  "at  least  ten  months  in  each  year, 
exclusive  of  vacations." 

The  term  high  school  was  applied  without  distinction  to  the 
higher  schools  required  in  towns  of  five  hundred  families  and  of 

3  On  the  other  hand  see  the  Report  of  the  School  Committee  of  Taunton 
for  1853-4,  page  26. 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  37 

four  thousand  inhabitants,  and  was  constantly  employed  without 
discrimination  in  referring  to  these  two  types.  It  must  not  be 
supposed,  however,  that  the  name  high  school,  as  found  in  the  re- 
ports, was  used  only  for  such  schools  as  completely  fulfilled  the 
legal  requirements  above  cited.  Cases  are  numerous  where  we 
find  the  name  "  High  School "  applied  to  higher  grades  in  various 
districts,  and  still  more  frequently  in  cases  where  the  so-called 
"  High  School  "  did  not  offer  athaf  the  studies  prescribed  by  law. 
The  reports  of  the  school  committees  are  full  of  criticism  of  the 
misuse  of  the  term  "  high  school. 'L_ 

2.       NON-COMPLIANCE   WITH   THE  LAW 

The  statute  law  of  Massachusetts  from  1827  on  laid  down  defi- 
nite and  concrete  requirements  for  the  establishment  of  high 
schools  in  towns  containing  five  hundred  families  and  over.  These 
requirements  have  been  outlined  in  their  historical  development 
in  Chapter  II  and  are  summarized  on  pages  71  ff.  In  accord- 
ance with  them  at  the  various  census  periods  the  following  num- 
ber of  towns  was  obliged  by  law  to  maintain  high  schools : 

TABLE  IV 


TOWNS  OF  500 

TOWNS  OP  4000 

CENSUS 

FAMILIES 

INHABITANTS 

1820  (U.  S.) 

30 

13 

1830  (U.  S.) 

35 

22 

1837  (Mass.) 

44 

25 

1840  (U.  S.) 

44 

25 

1850  (U.  vS.) 

7.6 

46 

1855  (Mass.) 

120 

61 

1860  (U.  S.) 

128 

61 

1865  (Mass.) 

130 

60 

NOTE:  The  census  lists  prior  to  1855  do  not  specify  the  number  of 
families  per  town.  In  the  above  table  the  number  of  towns  of  500  families 
(1820-1850)  is  estimated  on  the  basis  of  500  families  =  3000  inhabitants. 
On  this  see  The  First  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Education,  1838,  page  51.  No  allowance  is  made  in  the  above  table  for 
towns  which  were  exempt  by  special  law. 

The  law  requiring  the  establishment  of  high  schools  in  such 
towns  was  explicit  and  mandatory.  Nevertheless  its  provisions 
were  never  completely  fulfilled  and  during  most  of  the  early 
period  were  constantly  evaded.  The  following  figures,  compiled 


38  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

from  the  data  given  on  page  37  and  on  pages  42  to  45,  will  indi- 
cate the  degree  of  non-compliance  with  the  law  at  various  periods : 


TABLE  V 


ESTABLISHED 

PERCENTAGE 

ESTABLISHED 

REQUIRED 
CENSUS     BY  LAW 

ACCORDING 
TO  LAW 

MEETING 

THE  LAW 

BUT  NOT 

REQUIRED 

TOTAL  ES- 
TABLISHED 

1830             35 

3 

8.6 

0 

3 

1840             44 

16 

36.4 

2 

18 

1850             76 

42 

55-3 

5 

47 

1855            120 

77 

64.2 

10 

§7 

1860            128 

86 

67.2 

16 

102 

1865             130 

88 

68.0 

20 

108 

The  unstable  state  of  some  of  the  high  schools  established 
renders  the  above  data  somewhat  inaccurate  but  the  figures  are  in 
general  correct  and  clearly  represent  the  decrease  in  the  matter 
of  non-compliance  with  the  law  and  the  growth  of  the  high  school 
movement. 

For  a  commentary  on  the  condition  of  affairs  regarding  com- 
pliance with  the  law,  see  the  following  portions  of  the  reports  of 
secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  Masschusetts :  1838 
(I,  51),  1839  (II,  33),  1845  (VIII,  105),  1855  (XVIII,  57), 
1856  (XIX,  72),  1857  (XX,  85),  1861  (XXIV,  93),  1863 
(XXVII,  51  fL),  1865  (XXIX,  86  ff.). 

For  non-compliance  with  the  law  ,a  rather  heavy  penalty  was 
provided  for  in  the  statutes  —  "a  sum  equal  to  twice  the  highest 
sum  which  such  town  had  ever  voted  to  raise  for  the  support  of 
schools  therein."  From  the  data  above  given  it  is  evident  that  the 
law  was  not  obeyed  in  numerous  cases  and  that  at  all  periods  many 
towns  were  liable  to  indictment  for  not  maintaining  high  schools. 
Nevertheless  a  careful  search  of  the  Massachusetts  Law  Reports, 
of  some  town  records,  and  of  practically  all  the  reports  of  the 
school  committees  of  all  Massachusetts  towns  for  the  period 
1838-1861  disclosed  little  evidence  of  actual  indictments.  The 
only  clear  cases  found  were  those  of  the  town  of  Danvers  as  shown 
in  the  report  of  the  school  committee  of  that  town  for  1850,  pages 
6  ff.  and  of  Sheffield  in  1853.4  Threats  of  indictment  evidently 
caused  the  town  of  Dedham  to  vote  for  the  establishment  of  a 

4  ii  Gushing,  178. 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  39 

high  school  in  i85O,5  and  apparently  such  was  the  case  also  in 
Haverhill  in  1839.°  Conclusive  evidence  as  to  the  complete  num- 
ber of  actual  indictments  could  be  determined  only  by  an  examin- 
ation of  the  records  of  the  lower  courts  of  Massachusetts,  but  it 
may  reasonably  be  assumed  that  if  there  were  many  such  cases 
the  reports  of  the  school  committees  of  the  various  towns  would 
have  given  some  evidence  of  such  indictments.  However  this  may 
be  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  theTprovision  regarding  the  penalty 
for  non-establishment  of  high  schools  was  not  commonly  enforced, 
though  there  are  numerous  cases  in  the  reports  of  the  school  com- 
mittees where  attention  is  called  to  the  requirements  of  the  law 
and  the  penalty  attached  held  up  before  the  town  as  an  argument 
for  the  establishment  of  high  schools.  See,  for  instance,  the  re- 
ports of  the  school  committees  of:  Barre  (1852,  p.  9),  Danvers 
(1850,  pp.  6-8),  Dedham  (1851),  East  Bridgewater  (1856-57,  p. 
15),  Fall  River  (1848-49,  p.  15),  Groton  (1856,  p.  3),  Graf  ton 
(1849,  Ms.,  1851-52,  p.  12),  Lynn  (1848-49,  p.  12),  Leicester 
(1855-56,  Ms.),  Leominster  (1848-49,  p.  10),  Medford  (1850, 
p.  5),  Millbury  (1850-51,  Ms.),  Natick  (1852,  p.  n),  Southbridge 
(1855),  Springfield  (1849,  p.  13),  Waltham  (1847-48,  p.  2), 
Woburn  (1851-52,  p.  18),  Ware  (1849-50,  p.  5),  Haverhill 
(1839-40,  p.  8,  1851,  p.  12),  Pittsfield  (1853,  p.  12). 

That  failure  to  indict  was  not  due  to  any  doubt  as  to  the  re- 
quirements of  the  law  and  the  power  of  the  state  to  enforce  it  can 
be  seen  from  the  precedent  established  in  regard  to  Latin  grammar 
schools ;  e.  g.,  in  the  cases  of  "  Commonwealth  versus  the  In- 
habitants of  Dedham"  in  1817,  (16  Mass.  141)  and  Cushing  vs. 
Inhabitants  of  Newburyport  in  1845  (10  Cushing,  508)  .7 

3.  CIRCUMSTANCES  OPERATING  AGAINST  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF 

HIGH  SCHOOLS 

Attention  has  been  called  above  to  the  failure  to  establish  and 
maintain  high  schools  as  required  by  law.  It  remains  to  consider 
some  of  the  conditions  which  operated  to  prevent  such  establish- 
ment. Most  potent  among  these  may  be  mentioned : 

5  Slafter,  Carlos,  A  Record  of  the  Schools  and  Teachers  of  Dedham, 
page  185. 

6  Haverhill  Report  for  1839-40,  page  8. 

7  Cf.  the  list  of  towns  presented  on  page  4. 


4O  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

I  (i)     The  prevalence  of   the   " district"   system   for   common 
/schools  and  its  conflict  with  the  principle  of  "  town  "  and  "  graded  " 
/  schools.     This  whole  subject  will  be  discussed  in  Chapter  IV, 
/  pages  61-65. 

/        (2)     Connected  with  the  problem  of  the  "  district"  system  was 
/    the  problem  of  meeting  the  requirements  of  the  laws  in  towns  of 
over  five  hundred  families  but  of  wide  territorial  extent  and  widely 
I     scattered  population. 

\        (3)     The  ever-present  financial  problem. 
\       (4)     The  various  reactionary  laws  passed  as  relief  measures  in 
\j829,  1840  and  3,850. 
~~(5)"~  Until  1837  the  want  of  some  centralized  authority. 

All  of  these  interfering  conditions  find  frequent  manifestation  in 
the  reports  of  the  school  committees,  but  they  are,  from  their 
nature,  difficult  to  estimate  accurately  as  to  their  influence.  In  the 
smaller  and  less  progressive  towns  their  effect  can  be  traced  by 
the  unstable  maintenance  of  the  high  schools,  alternately  starting 
and  stopping  as  money  was  appropriated  or  withheld  and  as  the 
law  offered  relief  or  created  new  requirements.  The  law  itself 
is  by  no  means  constant  as  may  be  seen  in  Chapter  II. 

Within  the  period  1829-1835,  in  accordance  with  the  law  of 
1829  towns  of  five  hundred  families  could  avoid  the  maintenance 
of  high  schools  by  raising  for  the  general  school  fund  an  amount 
"  not  less  than  the  highest  sum  which  has  been  raised  by  such 
town  within  the  four  years  (1826-1829)  last  past."  Accord- 
ing to  the  figures  given  in  Table  IV  (page  37)  some  thirty-five 
towns  could  thus  evade  the  maintenance  of  high  schools.  The 
full  extent  to  which  towns  availed  themselves  of  this  it  is  im- 
possible to  ascertain,  the  data  for  that  period  being  very  meagre 
and  fragmentary. 

Within  the  period  1840-1848,  according  to  the  law  of  1840  towns 
were  able  to  avoid  the  maintenance  of  high  schools  "  by  raising  and 
expending  annually  for  the  support  of  town  or  district  schools, 
twenty-five  per  cent,  more  than  the  greatest  sum  ever  raised  by 
assessment  by  said  town  for  this  object."  Here  again  the  nature 
of  the  means  of  exemption  is  such  that  it  is  impossible  to  deter- 
mine the  exact  extent  to  which  it  was  made  use  of.  Examples 
are  to  be  found  in:  Pittsfield  (1846),  Grafton  (1849),  »Haverhill 
(1851,  p.  13),  Leominster  (?  1848-49,  p.  10). 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  41 

In  1850  the  school  committee  of  Fairhaven  petitioned  the  Legis- 
lature "  to  pass  a  law  which  should  excuse  those  towns  from  sup- 
porting a  high  school,  which  raise  for  each  child  between  the  age 
of  five  and  fifteen  years,  the  sum  of  five  dollars  for  schooling." 
The  answer  of  the  committee  of  the  Legislature  to  that  petition 
sheds  some  light  on  the  effect  of  the  legislation  of  1840  and  1848: 
"  The  experiment  has  been  tried  orf-releasing  towns  from  support- 
ing such  a  school,  by  raising  a  certain  sum  more  than  they  had 
ever  before  raised  for  common  schools.  But  experience  has  shown 
it  did  not  work  well,  and  the  law  has  been  restored,  and  under  its 
operation  many  towns  which  had  been  for  a  long  while  struggling 
to  establish  a  high  school,  have  just  now  weathered  the  point,  have 
erected  buildings,  established  such  schools,  and  are  beginning  to 
experience  their  benefits."  8 

During  the  period  1850-1857,  according  to  the  law  of  1850, 
towns  coming  within  the  requirements  of  the  statutes  regarding 
high  schools,  but  of  less  than  eight  thousand  inhabitants  according 
to  the  census  of  1850,  were  allowed  to  substitute  for  the  town 
school  before  required,  the  maintenance  of  two  or  more  high 
schools,  kept  none  for  less  than  three  months  and  together  for 
terms  of  time  equivalent  to  twelve  months.  This  law  affected 
some  eighty-five  towns.  Its  exact  effect  it  would  be  difficult  to 
trace  but  examples  can  be  found  of  its  use ;  e.  g. :  Newton 
(1850-51,  p.  23),  Palmer  (1851,  Ms.),  Amherst  (1856,  p.  3),  Ox- 
ford (1856-7,  p.  8). 

4.  LIST  OF  THE  HIGH  SCHOOLS  ESTABLISHED  BEFORE  1861 

The  following  list  contains  the  essential  data  regarding  the 
legal  requirements  for  each  town,  and  a  record  of  the  establish- 
ment of  high  schools.  The  legal  requirements  are  based  on  the 
census  enumerations  only.  This  does  not  give  us  the  exact  data 
in  each  case  but  it  is  sufficiently  accurate  for  the  purposes  of  this 
discussion  and  in  most  cases  is  the  only  possible  basis.  The  ques- 
tion of  the  existence  of  five  hundred  families  in  any  town  was  a 
matter  of  discussion  and  doubt  even  among  the  inhabitants  and 
with  the  secretary  of  the  state  board  of  education.  Previous  to 
1855  tne  census  lists  of  Massachusetts  and  of  the  United  States 
did  not  contain  data  and  the  estimate  was  commonly  on  a  basis  of 

8  Report  of  the  School  Committee  of  Fairhaven,  1851-52,  page  n. 


42  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

five  hundred  families  representing  3000  inhabitants.  From  1855 
on  the  number  of  families  in  each  town  is  given  in  the  state  census 
lists.  Legal  sanction  for  this  was  not  given  until  the  law  ap- 
proved May  19,  i868.9 

Included  in  the  list  are  all  towns  in  which  any  claim  was  made 
of  the  establishment  of  a  "  High  School  "  even  where  the  so-called 
"  High  School "  did  not  meet  the  requirements  of  the  statutes. 
This  course  is  necessitated  by  the  fact  that  in  many,  perhaps  most 
cases,  the  so-called  "High  School"  failed  to  fulfill  all  the  re- 
quirements. Notwithstanding  this  last  mentioned  fact  the  omis- 
sion of  all  towns  which  failed  completely  to  fulfill  the  legal  de- 
mands would  give  a  totally  wrong  conception  of  the  conditions  of 
the  high  school  in  Massachusetts. 


TABLE  VI 
THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  HIGH  SCHOOLS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 

Reference  in  Re- 
port for  the  Year. 
Comments 

1850,  pp.  33-36.       - 

1851,  p.  ii. 
1860,  p.  ii. 
1851,  1861. 
Exempted  1857. 
School  Returns  1837. 
Ceased  in  1858. 
1856-7,  pp.  4-5. 
Delinquent. 
Delinquent. 

Cf.  Templeton. 
1853,  p.  16. 
1852-3. 
1859-60,  p.  3. 

1859,  P-  5- 

in  District  8  in  1850-1. 
1849-50,  p.  5. 
Cf.  pages  26  ff. 

Mentioned  in  1849-50,  p.  2  only. 
1858-9,  p.  10. 
Delinquent. 
1859-60,  p.  15. 
1844,  p.  2. 
Delinquent. 
Regulations  1838-9. 
Delinquent. 
1849,  P-  9- 
1858-9,  p.  ii. 
1847,  p.  5. 


High  School  Required 
Lower         Higher 

High 
School  Es- 

TOWN 

Grade 

Grade 

tablished 

Abington  

1837 

1850 

1849 

Adams  

1837 

1837 

1850 

Amesbury  

1850 

1865 

1860 

Amherst  

1850 

.... 

1851  (1861) 

Andover  

1827 

1830 

.... 

Ashburnham  

1865 

Ashland  

.... 

1855 

Attleborough  .... 

1827 

1850 

1857 

Barnstable  

1827 

1837 

Bald  win  ville  

Barre  

1855 

.... 

1852 

Bedford  

i8<52 

Belchertown  

1855 

« 

1859 

Beverly  

1827 

1827. 

1858 

Blackstone  

1845   (?) 

1850 

High  Sch< 

Bolton  

.... 

1849 

Boston  

1827 

1827 

1821 

Bradford  

Mentic 

Braintree  

1855 

1858 

Bridgewater  

1855 

1865 

Brighton  

J855 

1841 

Brookline  

1855 

1860 

J843 

Brookfield  

i860 

Cambridge  

1827 

1827 

1838(1847) 

Canton  

l855 

Charlestown  

1827 

1827 

1848 

Chatham  

1855 

1858 

Chelsea  

1850 

1850 

1846 

9  Acts  and  Resolves,  1868,  Chapter  226. 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools 


43 


TABLE  VI 

(Continued) 

High  School  Required        High 

Reference  in  Re- 

Lower 

Higher 

School  Es- 

port for  the  Year. 

Town 

Grade 

Grade 

tablished 

Comments 

Chicopee  

1850 

1850 

1849 

1849. 

Clinton  

1850 

1865 

1851 

Not  a  real  high  school. 

Cohasset  

....    /  ' 

1841 

1841-2. 

Concord  

....  ! 

1851 

1851-2,  p.  3. 

Dalton  

....  ' 

1862 

1862-3,  p.  4. 

Danvers  

1827 

1830 

1850 

1850-1,  p.  4. 

Dartmouth  

1827 

1840 

Delinquent. 

Dedham  

1830 

1480 

1851 

1852,  p.  3. 

Deerfield  

1855 

.... 

1858 

1859,  pp.  7,  12. 

Dennis  

1850 

.... 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Dorchester  
Douglas  

1827 
!855 

1830 

1852 

1853,  P.  12. 
Delinquent. 

Duxburv  

1855 

.... 

.... 

Delinquent. 

East  Bridge  water 

1855 

.... 

1860 

1861-2,  p.  3. 

Easton  ,. 

1855 

.... 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Edgartown  

.... 

1854 

1854-5.  P-  I- 

\  Fairhaven  

1830 

1850 

1852 

1851-2,  p.  12. 

Fall  River  
Falmouth  

1830 
1860 

1830 

1849 

1849-50,  p.  14. 
Delinquent. 

Fitchburg  
Foxboro(ugh)  

1850 
1855 

1850 

1849 

1849-50,  p.  9. 
Delinquent. 

Framingham  

1840 

1850 

1851 

Catalogue  1851-60. 

Franklin  

i860 

.... 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Gardner  

1855 

.... 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Georgetown  

.... 

1856 

1857,  p.  6. 

Gloucester  

1827 

1827 

1838 

1838-9,  p.  2. 

Graf  ton  

1850 

1855 

1838 

1839,  p.  8. 

Granby  

....     Mentioned  for 

Delinquent. 

1854-5  only. 

Great  Barrington. 

1855 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Greenfield  

1855 

.... 

1854 

1854-5,  p.  i. 

Groton  
Harwich  

1855 
1850 



1859 

1859-60,  p.  ii. 
Delinquent. 

Haverhill  
Holbrook  

1827              1837       1841  (1855) 
Cf.  Randolph  of  which  Holbrook 

1841-2,  p.  9;  1856,  12. 
was  a  part  until  1872. 

Holliston  

1855 

.... 

1856 

1856-7,  p.  13. 

Holyoke  

1850 

1855 

1852 

1853,  p.  4. 

Hopkinton  

1855 

i860 

1851 

1850,  1853. 

Ipswich  

1840 

Before  1839 

1839-40. 

Lawrence  

1850 

1850 

1849. 

1848-9,  p.  6. 

Lee  

1850 

1855 

1851 

1851-2,  p.  4. 

Leicester  

1855 

1856 

1856-7,  pp.  15  ff. 

Leominster  

1850 

.... 

1850 

1850-1,  p.  8. 

Lexington  

.... 

1854  (1860) 

1855-6,  p.  9- 

Lincoln  

.... 

1852 

1853,  P-  2. 

Lowell  

1830 

1830 

1831 

1832. 

Lynn  

1827 

1827 

1849, 

1852,  p.  6;   1859. 

Maiden  

1850 

1855 

1857 

1857-8,  pp.  6,  13. 

Mansfield  

1860 

Delinquent. 

Manchester  

.... 

^848, 

1859,  p.  i. 

Marblehead  

1827 

1827 

1837  (1847) 

1847-8,  p.  8. 

Marlboro  (ugh)  .  .  . 

1855 

1855 

1851 

1851-2,  p.  7. 

Medford  

1850 

1855 

1835 

School  Returns  1836. 

Medway  

1855 

1851 

1851-2,  p.  9. 

Melrose  

1860 

.... 



Delinquent. 

44 


The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 


TABLE  VI     (Continued] 


High  School  Required        High 
Lower         Higher     School  Es- 
Grade          Grade        tablished 


Reference  in  Re- 
port for  the  Year. 

Comments 

Population  decreased.    No  real  high  sch'l  establ'd 
....  ....  Delinquent. 

Ceased  in  1851. 
1850-1,  p.  5. 
1851-2,  p.  7. 
Delinquent. 
No  real  high  school  established. 


1827 
1850 


1849 
1850 
1851 


Town 

Mendon 1830 

Methuen 1855 

Middleboro(ugh)  .  1827 

Milford 1850 

Millbury 1850  .... 

Milton 1855  

Monson 1860  .... 

Nantucket 1827  1827      Before  1838       1838-9. 

Natick 1855  ,t,      1855             1852             1852-3,  pp.  9,  21. 

Needham 1860  ....              ....              Delinquent. 

New  Bedford ....  1827  1830       1827(1837)       1839,  p.  2. 

Newbury 1827  1850             ....             Delinquent. 

Newburyport .  . .  .  1827  1827      Before  1838       1838-9. 

Newton 1837  1850       1853(1859)       1859-60^.4. 

North  Adams ....  Cf .  Adams. 

North  Brookfield .  1860  1852(1857)       1852-3,1857-8. 

Northampton....  1830  1850             1835              1837^.9. 

Northbridge 1860  ....              ....             Delinquent. 

Oxford 1855  1856  1856-7,  p.  8. 

Palmer 1850  1855             1851  Ceased  in  1856.    1851-2,  p.  3. 

Pawtucket 1850  1855             1855             1855-6,  p.  3. 

Peabody Cf .  South  Danvers  whose  name  was  changed  to  Peabody 

in  1868. 


Pittsfield  

1830 

1850 

1850 

1850-1,  p.  6. 

Plymouth  

1827 

1827 

Before  1838 

1838-9;    1850. 

Province  town.  .  .  . 

1850 

.... 

1849  (1860) 

1850. 

Ouincy  
Randolph  

1830 
1830 

1850 
1850 

1852 
1859 

1853,  p.  10. 
1860,  p.  57. 

Reading  

1850 

.... 

1856 

1856-7,  pp.  i  ff. 

Rochester  

1827 

Delinquent. 

Rockland  

Cf.  Abington  of 

which  Rockland 

was  a  part  until  1878. 

Rockport  

1850 

.... 

1849  (1857) 

1849-50,  p.  10. 

Roxbury  

1827 

1827 

1852 

1853,  p.  22. 

Salem  

1827 

1827 

1827 

Note  3. 

Salisbury  

1850 

.... 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Sandwich  

1830 

1850 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Scituate  

1827 

.... 

1836  (1861) 

1855;    1862,  p.  2. 

Seekonk  

1860 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Sheffield  

1855 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Sherborn  

.... 

1859 

1859-60,  p.  12. 

Sommerville  

1850 

1855 

1852 

1852-3,  p.  3. 

South  Danvers.  .  . 

1855 

1855 

1855 

Cf.  Danvers. 

South  Hadley 

1854(1857) 

1854-5;    1857-8- 

South  Reading.  .  . 

1855 

.... 

1845 

1846,  pp.  16,  18. 

South  Weymouth. 

Cf.  Weymouth. 

Southborough  .  .  . 

1854  (1858) 

1854-5. 

Southbridge  

1855 

1865 

1854 

1854-5- 

Spencer  

1855 

1856 

1856-7,  p.  24. 

Springfield  

1827 

1827 

Before  1832 

Sch'l  Returns,  1832,  9. 

Stoneham  

1855 

.... 

1846  (1854) 

1846-7. 

Stow(e)  

.... 

1852 

1851-2,  1852-3. 

Sutton  

1855 

.... 

Delinquent. 

Taunton  

1827 

1827 

1849 

1853-4,  P-  25. 

Templeton  

1855 

.... 

1856 

1856-7,  p.  12. 

The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  45 

TABLE  VI     (Continued} 

High  School  Required        High  Reference  in  Re- 
Lower  Higher  School  Es-  port  for  the  Year. 
Town                     Grade  Grade  tablished  Comments 

Townsend 1855  ....  ....  Delinquent. 

Upton 1859  1859-60,  p.  9. 

Uxbridge 1855  1855  1857-8^.13. 

Wakefield Cf .  South  Reading  whose  name  was  changed  to  Wakefield 

in  1868. 

Waltham 1850  1850  1835  1848-9,  p.  8. 

Ware 1850  ....  1850  1850-1,  p.  5. 

Wareham 1850  ....  ....  Delinquent. 

Warren 1855  1855-6,  p.  12. 

Watertown 1855  1853  1853-4,  P-  5- 

Wayland 1854  1855^.3. 

Webster 1855  1855  1855-6,  p.  4. 

Wellfleet 1860  1859  1859-60. 

West  Boylston .  .  .      1860  ....  1859  1859-60,  p.  8. 

West  Cambridge..      1855  ....  ....  Delinquent. 

West  Roxbury .  . .      1855  1855  Cf.  Note  4. 

West  Springfield. .      1827  ....  ....  Delinquent. 

Westborough.  .  .  .      1855  1853  1853-4,  P-  7- 

Westfield 1837  1850  1855  1855-6,  p.  3. 

Weston 1854  1854-5. 

Westport 1855  Delinquent. 

Weymouth 1837  1850  1853  1854,  p.  8. 

Williamstown.  .  . .      1855  ....  ....  Delinquent. 

Winchendon 1855  ....  1854  1854-5^.10. 

Winchester ....  1850  1850-1^.9. 

Woburn 1850  1855  1852  1852-3,  p.  22. 

Worcester 1830  1830  1824  (?)  1828-9. 

Yarmouth 1855  ....  Delinquent. 

NOTES:     I.  No  .regard  is  paid  in  this  table  to  the  Latin  grammar  schools 
antedating  the  high  school  period. 

2.  The  dates  given  indicating  the  year  when  high  schools  were 

required  in  the  various  towns  are  those  of  the  nearest  census 
(national  or  state),  except  that  the  year  1827  is  given  for 
towns  which  fell  under  the  provisions  of  the  law  of  that 
date  according  to  the  census  of  1820. 

3.  Cf.   Address  by  H.   K.    Oliver   in  Dedication  of  the   School 

House,  Salem,  1856,  p.  13. 

4.  Cooperation  with  the  Eliot  School  to  meet  the  requirements 

of  the  statutes.     Cf.    Report  for  1856,  pp.  3-6. 

The  following  table  compiled  from  the  above  data  will  give  a 
general  idea  of  the  growth  of  the  high  school  movement  up  to 
1865.  An  error  of  estimation  is  undoubtedly  to  be  found  here 
both  in  the  figures  themselves  and  in  comparison  with  the  figures 
presented  at  various  times  by  the  secretary  of  the  state  board. 
This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  in  some  cases  the  maintenance  of  the 
high  school  after  its  first  establishment  was  not  stable.  All  cases 
where  a  "  high  school "  was  claimed  are  included  on  this  enu- 
meration, a  basis  which  was  evidently  assumed  by  the  state  board 
in  its  enumeration.  Together  with  this  enumeration  are  given 


46  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

for  purposes  of  comparison  the  data  regarding  the  academy  move- 
ment within  the  same  period. 

TABLE  VII 

High  Schools  Academies 

Period                  Established  Incorporated u 

1821-1830                        3  32 

1831-1835                        6  32 

1836-1840                        9  14 

1841-1845                        5  u 

1846-1850                      24  10 

1851-1855                      40  14 

1856-1860                      25  5 

i86i-i86510                    ii  4 

From  these  figures  it  will  appear  that  the  high  school  move- 
ment began  to  assume  a  position  of  stability  within  the  period 
1846-1860  while  the  academy  movement,  in  so  far  as  can  be 
judged  by  the  mere  fact  of  incorporation,  was  constantly  on 
the  decline.  For  the  period  1840-1848  the  development  of  the 
high  school  had  to  combat  the  legal  impediment  created  by  the 
law  of  1840  discussed  on  page  40. 

The  situation  of  the  high  school  in  1863  is  summed  up  by  trie 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education  in  the  Twenty-third  Annual 
Report  for  1864,  page  51:  "  By  the  census  of  1860,  it  appears 
that  there  are  in  the  Commonwealth  sixty  cities  and  towns  hav- 
ing more  than  four  thousand  inhabitants,  and  therefore  required 
to  keep  a  High  School  of  the  first  class.  The  latest  official  re- 
turns received  at  this  office  show  that  forty-nine  of  said  towns 
maintain  such  a  school,  while  eleven  refuse  or  neglect  to  obey 
the  law  ...  Of  the  towns  having  over  five  hundred  families,  but 
less  than  four  thousand  inhabitants,  and  therefore  required  to 
maintain  a  High  School  of  the  second  grade,  there  are  sixty- 
eight.  Thirty-three  maintain  such  a  school,  and  thirty-five  fail 
to  do  so." 

The  following  table,  compiled  from  the  data  given  in  the 
Twenty-eighth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Education 12  will  indicate  the  condition  of  the  high  school  in 
Massachusetts  in  1865 : 

10  Figures  for  1861-1865  taken  from  the  Twenty-fifth  Annual  Report  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education,  page  86  ff. 

11  Cf.  the  table  given  on  page  n. 

12  Summary  on  page  93.     Cf.  also  data  on  pages  preceding  page  93. 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  47 

TABLE  VIII 


Re- 
quired 
by 
Law 
60 

Main- 
tained 
Ace.  to 
Law 
52 

Not 
Main- 
tained 
8 

Kept 

10 

Months 
5413 

Kept 
8 
Months 

513 

Kept 
Less 
Than  8 
Months 
313 

Towns  of 

4000  inhabitants 

500  families;  less  than 

4000  inhabitants.. ..         68  36  32  24  7  6 

400-500  families  (39) 10  ...  7  o  3 

Less  than  400  families.        ...  10  ...  3  3  4 

Totals 128  108  40  88  15  16 

"  Population  of  the  towns  keeping  high  schools  (is)  865,881,  or 
more  than  70  per  cent  of  the  whole  population  of  the  state." 

It  will  appear  from  the  above  data  that  of  the  128  towns  re- 
quired by  law  to  maintain  high  schools  88  had  complied  with  the 
law  by  1865  to  the  extent  of  establishing  such  schools,  and  of  these 
8 1  fulfilled  the  requirement  of  the  law  regarding  the  length  of 
time  (10  months)  for  which  these  schools  should  be  kept  in  a 
year.  Of  the  larger  towns  over  80  per  cent  had  fulfilled  the 
mandate  of  the  law.  Of  the  smaller  towns  only  a  few  more 
than  one-half  met  the  legal  provisions  for  establishment.  Twenty 
towns  not  required  by  law  to  establish  high  schools,  did  maintain 
such  institutions. 

5.     DISTRIBUTION  OF  HIGH  SCHOOLS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS  IN  1865 

TABLE  IX 


County         c 
Suffolk.  . 

First 
Re- 
juired 

2 

Grade 
Estab- 
lished 

2 

Second 
Re- 
quired 
o 

Grade 
Estab- 
lished 
o 

Toi 
Re- 
quired 

2 

tal 
Estab- 
lished 

2 

Per      ( 
Cent.     : 

IOO 

Dther 
Cowns 
o 

Essex  

ii 

1  1 

16 

Id. 

87  * 

2 

Middlesex  .... 
Norfolk  

13 

8 

13 

7 

8 
8 

8 

2 

21 

16 

x^r 
21 

°  /  •  j 

IOO 

«%6  T 

7 
i 

Bristol  

4" 

/ 
-i 

I 

O"  •  O 

A  A      A 

o 

Plymouth  .... 
Barnstable..  .  . 
Nantucket  .  .  . 
Dukes  .  . 

5 

2 

I 

o 

o 

2 
I 
I 

o 

5 

7 

0 

o 

I 
2 
O 

o 

10 

9 

i 
o 

3 
3 

I 

o 

T-T-  'r 
30. 

33-3 

IOO 

o 

0 
0 
I 

Worcester  .... 
Franklin  

5 
o 

4 
o 

21 
2 

15 

2 

26 

2 

19 

2 

73-i 

IOO 

I 
I 

Hampshire  .  .  . 
Hampden  .... 
Berkshire  

i 

5 

3 

i 

4 
3 

3 

i 

3 

2 
O 
O 

4 
6 
6 

3 

4 
3 

75 
66.7 

50 

5 

i 
i 

Totals 60  52  68  36         128  88  68|         20 

13  These  figures  represent  the  number  of  schools.    The  number  of  towns 
was  47  —  3  —  2  as  some  towns  maintained  more  than  one  school. 


48  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

From  these  figures  it  will  appear  that,  while  the  best  record 
was  to  be  found  in  Middlesex,  the  movement  had  spread  through- 
out the  state  and  in  addition  to  the  68^4  per  cent  of  towns  which 
obeyed  the  law  twenty  others  which  were  under  no  obligations  to 
do  so  had  established  high  schools  by  1865. 14 

As  was  to  be  expected  from  the  facts  of  population,  early  settle- 
ment, and  educational  advantages,  the  majority  of  high  schools 
were  to  be  found  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state,  more  than 
seventy  per  cent  of  the  high  schools  being  found  within  a  radius 
of  fifty  miles  from  Boston.  Within  that  region  of  the  forty-seven 
high  schools  of  first  grade  required  by  law  forty-one  had  been 
established  by  1865  and  of  the  thirty-nine  high  schools  of  lower 
grade  required  by  law  twenty-two  were  maintained  by  1865. 
Here  also  were  to  be  found  thirteen  out  of  the  twenty  high 
schools  maintained  in  towns  which  were  under  no  legal  obliga- 
tions to  establish  such  institutions. 

The  following  table  will  give  an  indication  of  the  degree  in 
which  the  high  schools  administered  to  the  needs  of  the  people 
of  the  state  at  the  close  of  the  period  here  considered. 

TABLE  X 
DISTRIBUTION  OF  HIGH  SCHOOLS  ACCORDING  TO  POPULATION  IN  1865 

Percentage 

of 

Population  Population 

Total  population  of  state,  census  of  1865  ....         1,267,031 
In  towns  required  by  law  to  maintain  high 

schools ; 961,297  75 .9 

In  towns  required  to  maintain  high  schools 

and  meeting  the  law „ 828,643  65 . 2 

In  towns  required  by  law  to  maintain  high 

schools  but  not  meeting  the  law 132,654  10.5 

In  towns  not  required  by  law  to  maintain 

high  schools  but  doing  so 37,238  2 . 9 

Total  in  towns  maintaining  high  schools 865,881  68 . 3 

6.  THE  STANDING  OF  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  IN  MASSACHUSETTS  IN 

1860-61 

In  the  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education  for  1903  15  Dr. 
E.  E.  Brown  gives  a  partial  list  of  high  schools  established  in 
the  United  States  before  the  Civil  War,  the  same  being  a  list 

14  Figures  compiled  from  the  Twenty-fifth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Education,  pages  96  ff. 

15  Pages  563-564. 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  49 

made  up  from  that  presented  in  the  Report  of  the  Commissioner 
of  Education  (Dr.  Harris)  for  1900-1901, 1G  supplemented  at 
some  points  from  miscellaneous  sources.  In  that  list  Dr.  Brown 
puts  eleven  high  schools  in  Massachusetts :  Boston,  Worcester, 
New  Bedford,  Fitchburg,  Lowell,  Cambridge,  Taunton,  Spring- 
field, Chelsea,  Lawrence,  Lynn. 

In  the  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education  for  1904  17 
there  is  given  a  list  of  the  towns  in  the  United  States  maintain- 
ing high  schools.  In  this  list  seventy ^eight  high  schools  in 
seventy-five  towns  are  claimed  for  Massachusetts  before  1861. 

In  the  Twenty-fourth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Education  in  Massachusetts  (1861)  18  it  is  stated  that 
the  number  of  high  schools  in  which  Latin  and  Greek  languages 
were  taught  was  one_  hundredfold  two.  In,  the  report  of  the 
secretary  for  1863  19  it  is  stated  that  there  were  eighty-two  high 
schools  in  addition  to  those  not  required  by  law.  In  the  report  of 
the  secretary  for  1865  20  it  was  stated  that  in  all  one  Jiundred  and 
eight_iiigJhLschools  were  in  operation  in  1864. 

In  view  of  these  incongruent  statements  it  is  obvious  that  the 
facts  are  not  clear  or  that  the  authors  of  those  statements  made 
iheir  estimates  on  entirely  different  bases.  The  question  seems 
to  hang  on  the  interpretation  of  the  term  high  school.  The 
meaning  of  that  term  in  Massachusetts  has  been  discussed  briefly 
on  pages  35-37.  There  the  discussion  was  chiefly  regarding  the 
meaning  of  "  high  school "  in  its  legal  sense.  The  strictest  inter- 
pretation oi  the  term  in  that  sense  would  exclude  a  large  number 
of  the  so-called  high  schools  in  Massachusetts.  It  is  to  be  noted, 
however,  that  the  law  itself  did  not  employ  the  term  high  school 
until  a  comparatively  late  period.21  The  name  high  school  was  a 
term  applied  by  common  usage  to  such  schools  as  came  under 
the  provisions  of  the  law  and  also,  apparently,  to  such  schools  as 
aimed  to  meet  the  requirement  of  the  statutes  or  only  to  furnish 
an  education  which  contained  in  part  only  the  subjects  required 
by  law.  To  estimate  the  work  and  standing  of  these  so-called 

16  Pages  1912-1914. 

17  Pages  1782-1989. 

18  Page  56. 

19  Page  51. 

20  Page  93. 

21  Page  36.     , 

4 


50  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

"  high  schools  "  on  the  basis  of  the  legal  requirements  only  and 
to  ignore  other  aspects  would  manifestly  be  unfair  in  comparing 
them  with  institutions  in  other  states  or  with  the  high  schools 
of  the  present  day. 

A  fair  criterion  of  the  standing  of  a  high  school  would  seem 
to  include  all  or  most  of  the  following  qualifications  :  ( I )  An  aim 
to  teach  subjects  above  and  beyond  those  taught  in  the  lower 
school;  (2)  the  presence  of  certain  subjects  in  the  curriculum, 
among  which  we  should  expect  to  find  for  the  earlier  period 
algebra,  geometry,  Latin,  Greek  or  French,  English,  natural 
philosophy,  chemistry,  or  other  natural  sciences,  and  some  other 
elements  which  would  vary  in  the  different  schools;  (3)  the 
presence  of  a  graded  course  of  study ;  (4)  some  regulation  regard- 
ing the  length  of  school  year,  etc. 

If  we  apply  these  criteria  to  the  high  schools  of  Massachusetts 
maintained  within  the  period  under  consideration  in  this  discus- 
sion, we  shall  find  that  the  statements  of  the  secretary  of  the  board 
above  cited  must  be  somewhat  modified.  We  shall  find  also  that 
the  statement  of  Dr.  Harris,  "the  number  of  high  schools  ir 
the  United  States  in  1860  was  about  forty^'  22  cannot  be  accepted 
on  any  reasonable  interpretation  of  the  term  high  school.  From 
the  data  given  on  preceding  pages  and  summarized  in  Table  V  it 
will  be  seen  that  in  1860  one  hundred  towns  claimed  to  maintain 
high  schools.  This  number  was  without  doubt  too  great  and 
many  schools  which  could  not  properly  claim  to  be  high  schools 
were  included  in  the  list.  The  exact  number  of  properly  so-called 
high  schools  maintained  in  the  towns  of  the  state  cannot  be 
stated.  This  is  due  to  the  facts  that  no  absolute  criterion  of  a  high 
school  can  be  laid  down  (unless  we  confine  our  attention  to  the 
legal  requirements)  and  that,  in  many  cases,  the  data  regarding 
studies,  courses,  etc.,  are  lacking. 

In  Table  XXXIV  23  is  given  a  list  of  fifty-nine  towns  having 
sixty-eight  high  schools  in  which  graded  courses  of  study  cover- 
ing from  three  to  five  years  were  in  operation  before  1861.  An 
examination  of  the  reports  of  the  school  committees  of  these 
towns  shows  in  practically  each  case  a  very  creditable  course  of 
high  school  study.  Doubtless  the  number  of  towns  in  whose  high 

22  Cf.  page  iii. 

23  Pages  97-98. 


The  Establishment  of  High  Schools  51 

schools  a  graded  and  prescribed  course  of  study  was  to  be  found 
would  be  increased  if  all  the  necessary  data  were  available,  but 
in  many  cases,  even  where  it  is  clear  that  a  good  high  school  was 
in  operation,  the  reports  do  not  give  any  clear  statement  of  the 
nature  of  the  course. 

In  Tables  XX-XXV  24  are  given  data  regarding  the  number  of 
schools  in  a  selected  group  of  sixty-three  towns  which  offered 
the  various  subjects  in  the  curricula  of  their  high  schools;.  The 
group  of  towns  considered  was  chosen  for  discussion  because 
of  the  fullness  of  the  reports  in  the  matter  of  the  subjects 
taught  in  the  high  schools.  An  examination  of  those  tables  will 
show  that  most  of  those  towns  offered  in  their  high  schools  a  group 
of  subjects  for  study  which  would  justify  the  use  of  the  term  high 
school  for  their  institutions  even  on  the  basis  of  present-day 
criteria.  If  other  towns  presented  in  the  reports  of  their  school 
committees  more  data  regarding  the  work  done  in  their  high 
schools  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  number  of  towns  which 
could  justly  claim  the  name  high  school  for  their  institutions  would 
be  in  excess  of  the  sixty-three  considered  in  the  tables. 

The  statutes  of  Massachusetts  required  that  the  high  schools 
be  kept  for  ten  months  in  each  year,  exclusive  of  vacations.25 
According  to  the  report  of  the  secretary  of  the  Massachusetts 
Board  of  Education  for  1865  26  eighty-eight  high  schools  in  the 
state  were  kept  for  ten  months  or  longer  and  fifteen  more  were 
kept  between  eight  and  ten  months  in  the  year. 

From  the  above  data  it  would  seem  that,  if  we  are  to  judge  a 
high  school  by  the  criteria  of  its  subject  matter,  the  course  of 
study,  and  the  term  of  time  demanded  for  study,  the  number  of 
high  schools  which  were  entitled  to  be  so  called  could  not  have 
been  less  than  sixty-three  by  1 86 1  and  probably  was  considerably 
in  excess  of  that  number.  Of  the  other  schools  which  claimed 
to  be  high  schools  the  number  which  were  entitled  to  that  name 
at  that  time  must  be  estimated  in  accordance  with  the  meaning 
which  one  should  attach  to  that  term.  The  same  would  be  the 
case  with  very  many  "  high  schools  "  of  the  present  day. 


™  Cf .  pages  82-86. 

25  Cf.  page  28. 

26  Page  93.      ' 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  HIGH   SCHOOL  IN   ITS  RELATION   TO   OTHER 
EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS 

i.  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  AND  THE  LATIN  GRAMMAR  SCHOOL 

In  Chapter  I  the  condition  of  the  public  secondary  school— 
the  Latin  grammar  school — previous  to  the  origin  of  the  high 
school  was  discussed.  By  the  law  of  1789  all  towns  containing 
two  hundred  families  or  over  were  required  to  maintain  grammar 
schools.  This  law  was  in  force  from  1789  until  1827  and  in 
accordance  with  it  by  the  census  of  1820  some  173  towns  out  of 
a  total  of  296  in  the  state  were  required  to  maintain  Latin  gram- 
mar schools.  As  was  indicated  in  Chapter  I  the  great  majority  of 
such  towns  failed  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  law  and  by 
1820  the  Latin  grammar  school  had  fallen  into  a  low  state.  By 
the  law  of  1824  all  but  seven  towns  in  the  state  were  practically 
relieved  of  the  necessity  of  maintaining  grammar  schools.1  A 
few  such  schools  continued  to  exist  but  by  the  time  of  the  passage 
of  the  law  which  legally  created  the  high  school  in  Massachusetts 
the  number  of  Latin  grammar  schools  in  the  state  was  small. 

By  the  law  of  1827  the  legal  provision  for  secondary  education 
was  radically  changed  and  the  work  previously  prescribed  for 
the  Latin  grammar  school  was  provided  for  in  high  schools  of 
the  higher  grade  prescribed  in  towns  of  four  thousand  inhabitants 
and  over.  By  this  law  the  number  of  towns  required  to  maintain 
schools  which  replaced  the  Latin  grammar  school,  was,  according 
to  the  census  of  1820,  thirteen,  and  according  to  the  census  of 
1830  twenty-two.2 

It  must  not  be  thought,  however,  that  the  school  of  higher 
grade  above  mentioned  merely  continued  the  type  of  school  pre- 
viously represented  by  the  Latin  grammar  school.  Rather  it  in- 
stituted a  type  of  school  which  included  within  its  scope  the  funda- 
mental characteristics  of  the  older  school  and  in  addition  greatly 

1  Cf.  pages  26-27. 

2  Cf.  page  37. 
52 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions     53 

extended  its  curriculum  and  application.  By  the  law  of  1789  the 
only  subjects  legally  required  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  were 
the  Latin,  Greek,  and  English  languages.  By  the  law  of  1827 
were  added  to  the  curriculum  of  the  public  secondary  school  the 
history  of  the  United  States,  general  history,  bookkeeping,  alge- 
bra, geometry,  surveying,  rhetoric,  and  logic.3 

While  the  legal  requirements  regarding  the  subject  matter 
which  had  been  covered  in  the  Latin  grammar  school  by  the  law 
of  1827  were  relegated  to  the  high  schools  required  in  towns  of 
four  thousand  inhabitants  only,  there  was  an  almost  universal 
tendency  to  include  Latin  and  certain  elements  of  English  in  all 
high  schools  of  both  grades.  Greek  did  not  meet  with  so  general 
acceptance  although  numerous  cases  were  found  where  it  was 
included  in  the  curriculum  of  high  schools  of  lower  grade. 

The  law  of  1647  on  which  all  subsequent  laws  regarding  Latin 
grammar  schools  were  based  had  stated  that  a  school  master 
should  be  provided  "  able  to  instruct  youth  so  farr  as  they  may  be 
fited  for  the  university."  By  the  law  of  1789  it  was  provided 
(Section  6)  "That  no  youth  shall  be  sent  to  such  grammar 
schools  unless,"  etc.  Whether  or  not  this  phraseology  made  the 
law  applicable  to  students  of  both  sexes  never  seems  to  have 
aroused  much  discussion  with  reference  to  the  Latin  grammar 
school,  though  some  indication  may  be  noted  in  the  finding  of  the 
supreme  court  in  the  case  of  The  Commonwealth  vs.  the  Inhab- 
itants of  Dedham  4  in  1817:  "A  Grammar  school,  required  to 
be  maintained  by  every  town  having  two  hundred  families  or 
householders,  must  be  kept  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Town."  By  the  law  of  1827  it  was  provided  that 
the  higher  schools  prescribed  should  be  kept  in  towns  "for  the 
benefit  of  all  the  inhabitants  thereof."  Whatever  may  have  been 
the  intention  of  the  framers  of  that  law  the  subsequent  policy 
of  admitting  girls  to  the  high  schools  or  providing  separate  high 
schools  and  separate  courses  for  them  clearly  indicates  that  such 
was  the  interpretation  given  to  the  law.  Thus  we  find  one  great 
difference  between  the  Latin  grammar  school  for  boys  only  and 
the  high  school  which  from  the  beginning  provided  instruction 
for  both  boys  and  girls. 

3Cf.  page  28. 

4  16  Mass.,  141.  Cf.  also  the  discussion  in  Nelson  vs.  Gushing,  et  al., 
2  Gushing,  519,  pages  532-535- 


I 


54  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

According  to  the  legal  requirements  the  Latin  grammar  school 
was  superceded  by  the  new  type  of  school  in  1827.  The  low  state 
of  the  Latin  grammar  school  in  particular,  the  general  condition 
of  educational  interest  at  that  time,  the  rise  of  the  academy,  and 
the  control  of  the  district  system — all  these  causes  operated  to  delay 
the  high  school's  development  during  the  first  decade  after  the 
passage  of  the  law  of  1827.  The  change  is  not  so  much  from 
the  Latin  grammar  school  to  the  high  school  as  a  rebuilding  of 
the  entire  public  system  of  secondary  education.  A  stage  some- 
what intermediate  between  the  older  type  of  school  and  the  new 
was,  perhaps,  represented  by  the  practice  in  some  towns  of  main- 
taining two^ types  of  higher_schools,  the  one  devoted  to  the  class- 
i  ical  studies  and  preparing  for  entrance  to  college,  the  other  de- 
voted to  the  more  distinctly  English  studies  and  to  training  for 
non-collegiate  activities.  In  some  cases  this  separation  of  the  two 
types  continued  for  a  long  period,  in  the  instance  of  the  Public 
Latin  School  even  up  to  the  present  day.  This  same  separation 
of  the  classical  and  other  studies  in  the  high  school  also  mani-i 
fested  itself  in  the  division  of  these  subjects  into  distinct  courses 
even  where  they  were  all  parts  of  one  institution.  This  differ- 
entiation has,  of  course,  continued  in  some  degree  up  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  not  only  in  Massachusetts  but  generally  throughout 
the  country. 

I  The  great  contribution  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  to  the  high 
[school  was,  of  course,  a  body  of  material  in  the  form  of  subject 
matter,  which  was  necessary  for  admission  to  college  for  a  long 
period,  which  was  supposed 'at  that  time  to  be  a  prerequisite  for 
any  of  the  learned  professions,  which  had  developed  about  itself 
a  body  of  method,  and  in  the  te'aching  of  which  there  was  a  large 
body  of  men  well  trained.  It  may  well  be  doubted  that  the  high 
school  would  so  soon  or  so  easily  have  been  organized  into  a  well 
graded  course,  if  there  had  not  been  present  at  its  inception  a 
basis  of  subject  matter  which  by  its  traditional  prestige,  its  essen- 
tial characteristics,  and  its  long  usage  demanded  an  orderly 
sequence  in  its  study.  In  the  case  of  mathematics  at  that  time 
there  was  no  such  basis,  since  the  subject  itself  had  been  intro- 
duced into  the  higher  schools  of  Massachusetts  but  a  short  time 
before  and  had  not  yet  developed  into  a  well  defined  system  of 
instruction  which  offered  any  necessary  sequential  treatment. 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions    55 

It  was  but  natural  that  teachers  who  had  been,  and  must 
necessarily  have  been  trained  in  an  almost  purely  classical  system, 
should  carry  over  into  such  new  subjects  as  they  were  called  upon 
to  teach  a  great  deal  of  the  method  and  teaching  practice  which 
they  had  acquired  and  practiced  in  the  classical  studies.  The 
extent  of  this  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  measure,  but  we  may 
gain  some  idea  of  it  from  the  presentation  of  the  material  in  the 
various  text-books  used.5  A  further  indication  of  it  may,  per- 
haps, also  be  found  in  the  method  of  teaching  the  modern  lan- 
guages which  obtained  almost  universally  in  this  country  up  to 
within  the  past  few  years  and  probably  still  obtains  in  the  majority 
of  our  high  schools. 

Whatever  may  be  the  objections  to  the  study  of  Latin  and  the 
study  of  Greek  per  se,  certainly  they  played  a  great  and  important 
part  in  the  organization  of  the  Massachusetts  high  school  curricu- 
lum at  a  time  when  the  introduction  of  a  number  of  new  subjects, 
practically  all  without  any  well  developed  body  of  method  or 
practice,  might,  perhaps,  have  led  to  a  disintegration,  or  prevented 
an  integration,  of  the  high  school  and  greatly  delayed  the  high 
school  movement.  At  the  time  when  the  high  school  movement 
was  inaugurated  the  classical  studies  formed  an  integrating  force 
and  were,  so  to  speak,  the  backbone  of  the  high  school  curri- 
culum. 

That  the  classics  met  a  real  demand  on  the  part  of  the  public 
can  easily  be  seen  from  the  number  of  students  taking  up  the 
subjects  of  Latin  and  Greek,  indicated  on  pages  86-93.  These 
figures,  incomplete  as  they  are,  show  a  desire  for  these  subjects 
which  was  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  number  of  students  who 
could  have  taken  them  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  for  entrance 
to  college.6  Whether  or  not  this  was  justified  by  the  value  of  the 
subjects  of  Latin  and  Greek  per  se  is  not  the  question  here. 
That  there  was  such  a  demand  is  obvious  and  this  demand  was 
met  by  the  Latin  grammar  school  and  continued  by  the  high 
school. 

5  See  Chapter  VI. 

6  Cf.  pages  67-68. 


56  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

2.     THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  IN  ITS  RELATION  TO  THE  ACADEMY  AND 
PRIVATE  SCHOOLS 

The  academy  movement  previous  to  the  beginning  of  the  high 
school  has  been  discussed  in  Chapter  I,  pages  8  to  14.  There 
an  attempt  has  been  made  to  trace  the  development  of  the  academy 
from  its  beginning  shortly  after  the  Revolutionary  War  through 
the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  figures  given  in 
Table  II  show  that  previous  to  1825  some  forty  academies  had 
been  established  and  incorporated  in  Massachusetts,  an  average  of 
less  than  one  a  year.  During  the  following  decade  sixty  aca- 
demies were  incorporated  but  within  the  period  1836-1875  only 
sixty-nine  were  incorporated.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  period  of 
greatest  activity  in  the  incorporation  of  academies  was  the  ten 
years  from  1826-1835,  a  period  which  covers  approximately  the 
first  ten  years  of  the  high  school  movement  after  the  passage  of 
the  law  of  1827.  It  will  be  remembered  in  this  connection  that 
this  was  a  period  when  the  Latin  grammar  school  was  practically 
an  institution  of  the  past,  when  the  high  school  had  not  yet 
assumed  the  position  which  it  was  destined  later,  to  assume,  when 
the  public  school  system  was  dominated  by  the  district  school,  and 
the  state  of  public  education  in  general  was  at  its  lowest  ebb.  In 
Table  VII,  page  46,  figures  are  given  comparing  the  growth  of 
the  high  school  movement  and  the  relative  decline  of  the  academy 
movement  in  so  far  as  the  latter  may  be  measured  by  the  number 
of  academies  incorporated.  From  these  two  tables  it  would  ap- 
pear that  the  high  school  began  to  assert  its  dominance  over  the 
academy  by  1850. 

In  Table  XI  are  given  figures,  compiled  from  the  data  in  the 
Abstracts  of  Massachusetts  School  Returns,  which  indicate  roughly 
the  relative  growth  of  the  incorporated  academies,  unincorporated 
academies,  and  other  private  schools  in  Massachusetts  for  the 
period  1834  to  1860.  Unfortunately  the  returns  are  given  in  such 
form  that  it  is  impossible  to  distinguish  between  the  students 
taking  secondary  school  work  proper  and  those  in  elementary 
work,  especially  in  the  case  of  the  unincorporated  academies  and 
private  schools,  but  the  figures  are  valuable  as  maximum  and  as 
indicating  the  decrease  in  the  later  types  of  schools. 

In  the  case  of  incorporated  academies  it  should  be  noted 
that,  while  the  actual  number  of  such  schools  .  and  of  the 
students  attending  them  remains  approximately  the  same,  a  com- 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions     57 

parison  with  the  figures  showing  the  increase  of  population  would 
indicate  that  the  influence  of  the  academy  was  already  on  the 
wane  in  Massachusetts  by  1850.  It  should  be  remembered  also 
that  during  the  entire  period  and  especially  during  the  later  period 
some  of  the  academies  became  institutions  which  drew  an  in- 
creasing proportion  of  their  students  from  without  the  borders 
of  the  state.  Thus  in  the  case  of  the  Phillips  Academy  at  Andover 
the  percentage  of  students  coming  to  that  institution  from  with- 
out the  state  in  1831  was  32.6  per  cent,  in  1833  38.6  per  cent, 
and  in  1836-37  39.7  per  cent.7 

TABLE  XI 
ACADEMIES  AND  PRIVATE  SCHOOLS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 


a     -c^s 


6 


be 


S3 
1 

l8l4 

Incorporat 
Academies 

UHtfirC     Q  C  ,13   <i  "^  ^  °3        "*"""  W  *^ 

CV"1  CO  *^  en  ^2   1  *5  ®  S   G  •-"  "S  C/J 

^  'd  oj  .2  5  oj  "S.  t*>  8  °  ^3  o  *°  ^ 

•S  W  >   O  <u  >   3rtc<H   G<  u  $  ^ 

cjs'C  H  'C  o,   £    3  J2  'C 

S^PU       PH  P         PH   ^PU 

i- 

11 

r—  1  O 

cS  M-I 

I 

EC  O      rt  ctf 

H  &1    3^ 
261   671,031 

•"•"Ot 

24278 

683,861 

1836 

««f  «  /  *• 

287^2 

606,04.0 

1837 

854 

nj  /  O-^ 

27266 

....       wv^\j,vytj.v^ 
294      7IO,26l 

1838-9 

73 

IIOO 

H73 

3599 

24548 

28147 

298      723,841 

1839-40 

78 

1308 

1386 

3701 

28635 

32336 

301       737,699 

1840-1 

80 

1388 

1468 

3825 

31794 

55619 

304      760,070 

1841-2 

71 

1268 

1339 

3379 

26611 

29990 

296      783,111 

1843-4 

72 

1238 

1310 

376o 

25850 

29610 

304      831,321 

1844-5 

66 

1167 

1233 

3939 

26762 

30701 

299      856,531 

1845-6 

67 

1091 

1158 

3726 

24318 

28044 

308      882,510 

1846-7 

67 

1050 

1117 

4220 

26785 

31005 

308      909,26l 

1847-8 

67 

1096 

1163 

3862 

27216 

31078 

313      936,794 

1848-9 

64 

1047 

mi 

3864 

27583 

31447 

315      965,240 

1849-50 

67 

845 

912 

3717 

19534 

23251 

315      994,5H 

1850-1 

69 

785 

854 

4T54 

16658 

20812 

320 

,002,003 

1851-2 

7i 

749 

820 

4220 

16131 

20351 

322 

,027,508 

1852-3 

64 

763 

827 

4062 

18362 

22424 

324 

,075,007 

1853-4 

66 

674 

740 

4142 

17322 

21464 

326 

,103,351 

1854-5 

7i 

646 

717 

4716 

I757I 

22287 

327 

,132,364 

1855-6 

70 

701 

771 

4708 

18909 

23617 

330 

,151,455 

1856-7 

69 

674 

743 

4346 

18935 

23281 

330 

,170,862 

1857-8 

70 

672 

742 

4338 

18044 

22372 

331 

,190,592 

1858-9 

63 

691 

754 

3932 

18903 

22835 

332 

,021,656 

1859-60 

65 

640 

705 

356i 

15933 

19494 

333 

,231,066 

NOTE: 

The 

above  figures  are 

compiled  from 

the  Abstract  of  Massa- 

tion  are  taken  from  the  computation  on  page  206  of  the  Abstract  of  the 
Census  of  Massachusetts  for  1865. 

7  See  the  Catalogs  for  those  years. 


58  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

From  these  figures  the  following  facts  appear : 

(1)  The  number  of  incorporated  academies  remained  practi- 
cally unchanged. 

(2)  The  number  of  pupils  in  attendance  at  these  academies 
remained  practically  unchanged. 

(3)  The  number  of  unincorporated  academies,  private  schools, 
and  schools  kept  to  prolong  common  schools,  decreased  by  more 
than  one  third. 

(4)  The   number   of  pupils  in   attendance   at  these   schools 
decreased  by  more  than  one  third. 

(5)  The  population  of  the  state  increased  by  more  than  one 
half. 

(6)  The  number  of  towns  reporting  to  the  secretary  of  the 
State  Board  of  Education  increased  from  261  towns  out  of  a  total 
of  305  in  1834  to  333  out  of  a  total  of  334  in  1860.    It  follows 
that  the  figures  for  1860  give  a  practically  complete  representa- 
tion of  the  state  of  affairs  at  that  date,  while  the  figures  for  the 
years  previous  to  1838-39  represent  only  a  minimum  for  extra- 
public  schools. 

It  has  commonly  been  supposed  that  the  academy  dominated 
our  secondary  education  until  well  on  into  the  second  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century.8  However  true  this  may  be  in  general  out- 
side of  Massachusetts,  and  however  true  it  may  be  of  Massachu- 
setts as  regards  the  character  of  the  work  done  in  the  secondary 
schools,  it  would  seem,  at  least  as  regards  the  number  of  institutions 
and  the  pupils  in  attendance  therein,  that  the  greatest  ascendency 
of  the  academy  in  Massachusetts  was  prior  to  1856.  After  that 
period  there  is  a  very  sharp  decline  in  the  number  of  extra-public 
schools  and  in  the  number  of  pupils  in  attendance  therein.  This 
will  be  seen  more  clearly  from  the  following  figures  which  com- 
pare the  status  of  these  schools  with  the  population  of  Massachu- 
setts by  decades. 

8  Brown,  E.  R,  The  Making  of  OUT  Middle  Schools,  pages  228,  314; 
Brown,  J.  R,  The  American  High  School,  page  2. 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions    59 

TABLE  XII 

1839-40     1849-50     1859-60 

Number  of  inhabitants   to  each   incorporated 

academy 9458        14,784        18,940 

Number  of  inhabitants  to  each  unincorporated 

academy,  etc \ 564  1177  1923 

Number   of  inhabitants   to   each   extra-public 

school 532  1090  1746 

Number  of  inhabitants  to  each  pupil  in  incor- 
porated academies 199  268  346 

Number  of  inhabitants  to  each  pupil  in  unin- 
corporated academies,  etc 26  51  77 

Number  of  inhabitants  to  each  pupil  in  extra- 
public  schools 23  43  63 

A  comparison  of  the  figures  presented  in  the  two  tables  above 
with  the  data  for  the  growth  of  the  high  school  9  during  this  period 
will  give  some  indication  of  the  relative  growth  of  the  public 
schools  and  the  extra-public  schools.  It  is  particularly  to  be  noted 
that  the  period  of  the  greatest  strength  of  the  extra-public  school 
movement  was  the  period  of  the  greatest  weakness  in  the  public 
school  system. 

Concrete  instances  of  the  effect  of  the  betterment  of  the  public 
school  movement  on  the  academy  and  private  school  are  to  be 
met  with  in  many  reports.  "  In  1848-49,  the  number  of  pupils  in 
academies  and  private  schools  reported  was  36,477, 10  while  in 
1853-54  it  was  21,464 — a  diminution  of  14,983.  It  must  not, 
however,  be  supposed  that  the  number  of  pupils  in  academies  and 
private  schools  is  so  much  deducted  from  the  attendance  of  the 
public  schools;  for  no  inconsiderable  proportion  of  the  former 
come  from  other  states,  there  being  in  some  instances,  more  than 
a  hundred  such  in  single  schools."  n  More  specific  reference  is 
found  of  the  effect  of  the  establishment  of  a  high  school  in  the 
private  schools  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  School  Committee  of 
Salem,  quoted  by  Barney : 12  "  In  the  year  1836-37,  previous  to 
the  establishment  of  the  High  Schools,  there  were  ascertained  to 
be  in  the  city  seventy  private  schools,  containing  1590  scholars, 
educated  at  an  annual  expense  for  tuition  of  $22,700 — averaging 
$14.27  per  scholar,  while  in  the  year  1844,  and  after  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  High  Schools,  it  was  ascertained  that  there  were 

9Cf.  page  46. 

10  Note  the  discrepancy  in  the  figures  given  in  Table  XI,  page  57. 
1  Eighteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education 
of  Massachusetts  for  1855,  page  62. 
12  Report  on  the  American  System  of  Graded  Free  Schools,  page  33. 


60  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

but  35  private  schools,  containing  775  scholars,  supported  at  an 
expense  for  tuition  of  $10,098 — averaging  $13  per  scholar." 
Barney  further  quotes  from  a  member  of  the  School  Committee 
of  Nantaucket:13  "  Before  the  establishment  of  our  High  School, 
we  had  several  private  schools.  .  .  .  When  the  school  was  first 
established,  many  kept  their  children  away ;  .  .  .  and  private 
institutions  almost  wholly  ceased." 

While  the  academies  never  were  merged  into  the  public  high 
school  system,  as  was  commonly  the  case  with  the  public  Latin 
grammar  school,  instances  are  not  wanting  of  such  a  transforma- 
tion when  a  town  took  over  the  academy  and  transformed  it  into  a 
public  high  school  or  at  least  made  such  arrangement  with  the 
trustees  of  the  academy  as  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  law 
regarding  high  schools. 

Summarizing  the  relation  of  the  academy  and  private  schools 
with  the  high  school,  we  may  say : 

(1)  The  academy  contributed  to  the  public  secondary  school, 
or  at  least  furthered,  a  new  conception  of  the  aim  and  material  of 
education  for  secondary  students  which  involved  three  factors :  — 

/the  idea  that  provision  should  be  made  for  those  youths  not  pre- 
' paring  for  entrance  to  college;  new  subjects  of  study;  provision 
for  higher  education  for  girls. 

(2)  The  dominance  of  the  academy  and  of  private  schools  in 
general  covered  the  period  when  the  old  Latin  grammar  school 
was  breaking  down  and  when  education  in  Massachusetts  was 
at  its  lowest  ebb.    By  1850  the  high  school  movement  in  Massa- 
chusetts was  well  on  its  road  to  later  success  and  from  that  time 
Ion  the  dominance  of  the  private  school  was  decidedly  lessened  in 
'favor  of  the  public  school. 

(3)  The  academy  did  not  merge  itself  into  the  general  school 
system  but,  even  after  the  high  school  was  well  established,  con- 
tinued to  fill  its  place  in  the  educational  needs  of  the  state,  be- 
coming in  addition  an  institution  which  in  ever  increasing  numbers 
drew  its  pupils  from  a  wider  range  of  territory. 

(4)  The  public  secondary  school  originally  was  directed  speci- 
fically toward  preparation  for  college.     In  the  nineteenth  century 
it  tended  to  drift  away  from  this  ideal  though  this  end  was  never 
lost  sight  of.    The  academy  originally  aimed  at  a  general  education 

13  Page  27  of  the  above  cited  book. 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions    61 

apart  from  though  including  preparation  for  college.  Its  tendency 
has  been  toward  the  end  of  fitting  for  college  until  to-day  it  is  par 
excellence  the  "  preparatory  school." 

3.     THE    HIGH    SCHOOL  IN    ITS    RELATION    TO    THE    LOWER 
SCHOOLS  AND  THE  DISTRICT  SYSTEM 

The  relation  of  the  high  schools  of  Massachusetts  to  tb~ 
elementary  schools  requires  consideration  in  two  apparently  dis-**^ 
tinct  but  really  closely  related  aspects — the  one  legal  and  ad- 
ministrative, the  other  more  directly  a  matter  of  curriculum  and 
studies.  On  the  legal  and  administrative  side  the  discussion  con- 
cerns the  district  system  in  its  effect  on  the  educational  system 
of  Massachusetts  in  general  and  the  effect  of  that  system  on  the 
high  school  in  particular.  On  the  side  of  the  curriculum  it  still 
involves  the  question  of  the  district  system  but  more  specifically 
that  system  with  regard  to  the  effect  of  the  ungraded  and  graded 
systems  on  the  differentiation  of  function  and  the  development  of 
fixed  courses  for  the  elementary  and  high  schools. 

(1)  Legal  and  Administrative  Aspect:  By  the  law  of  1647  all 
public  schools,  elementary  and  secondary,  were  established  on  a 
town  basis.  During  the  eighteenth  century  there  developed 
through  the  "  moving  school  "  and  the  practice  of  "  squadroning  " 
a  division  of  towns  for  elementary  school  purposes  into  districts. 
The  movement  grew  and  in  1789  received  legal  sanction.  In  -(- 
1800  14  the  power  to  levy  taxes  was  given  to  the  people  of  the 
districts  and  in  1817  15  the  districts  were  made  corporations.  By 
the  beginning  of  the  period  with  which  this  discussion  is  particu- 
larly concerned  the  district  system  had  affected  the  entire  public 
school  system.  The  condition  of  the  town  school,  the  Latin 
grammar  school,  at  this  time  has  been  indicated  in  Chapter  I. 
How  much  of  the  loss  which  the  grammar  school  had  suffered 
was  due  to  the  district  system  it  would  be  difficult  to  say,  but  we 
can  be  sure  that  the  failure  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  served  to 
allow  the  prestige  and  activity  of  the  direct  town  government  of 
its  schools  to  lose  in  prominence. 

By  the  act  of  1826 1G  the  town  school  committee  was  established 
as  a  part  of  the  administrative  side  of  public  school  work.     By 

14  Laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  1800,  Feb.  28. 

15  Laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  1817,  June  13. 

16  Laws  of  Massachusetts,  1826,  Chapter  170. 


62  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

the  act  of  1827  17  it  was  provided  that  each  town  should  "in 
addition  to  the  aforesaid  (town)  committee,  choose  a  committee 
for  each  school  district  in  said  town,  consisting  of  one  person." 
Thus  was  introduced  a  second  school  committee  in  each  district 
called  the  "  prudential  committee." 

The  situation  at  the  beginning  of  the  high  school  period  shows 
two  distinct  administrative  bodies :  ( i )  the  town  school  committee 
in  charge  of  the  "  town  schools  "  and  performing  some  other  func- 
tions affecting  the  schools  in  general,  especially  with  regard  to  the 
finances  and  the  approval  of  teachers  ;  (2)  the  prudential  committees, 
one  for  each  district,  in  charge  of  the  elementary  schools. 

That  this  division  of  authority  and  office  of  administration 
should  seriously  interfere  with  any  unification  of  the  educational 
system  in  the  various  towns  was,  of  course,  inevitable.  The  evils 
of  the  division  of  power  and  authority  were  fostered  by  the  grow- 
ing importance  of  the  districts  as  political  units  and  the  actual 
antagonism  which  developed  between  the  various  districts  of  the 
towns.  This  opposition  of  interests  between  the  towns  and  the 
various  districts  of  which  they  were  composed  is  clearly  reflected 
throughout  the  school  reports  of  most  towns  where  the  district 
system  was  in  operation. 

The  disadvantages  of  the  district  system  have  been  too  often 
depicted  to  be  discussed  here  but  the  following  points  require 
attention  as  they  directly  affect  the  high  school  and  its  develop- 
ment: 

(a)  The  dual  system  of  control  and  the  division  of  authority 
caused  direct  opposition  of  interest  between  the  high  school  and 
the  elementary  schools  which  contributed,  or  should  have  contri- 
buted to  it. 

(b)  The  lack  of  any  uniformity  in  the  elementary  schools, 
whose  affairs  were  directed  by  separate  bodies,  greatly  handi- 
capped the  work  of  the  high  school. 

(c)  The  lack  of  grading,  precluded  in  many  cases  by  the  small 
number  of  pupils  in  the  district  schools,  prevented  the  proper  prep- 
aration for  the  work  of  the  high  school. 

(d)  Great  financial  waste  was  involved  in  the  multiplicity  of 
schools.    A  more  economical  consolidation  of  schools  and  teachers 
would  have  contributed  much  to  the  schools  as  a  whole. 

(c)     Friction  between  the  various  districts  and  the  powers  rep- 
17  Laws,  of  Massachusetts,  1827,  Chapter  143,  Section  6. 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions  63 

resenting  the  high  school  interests  interfered  seriously  with  the 
work  and  development  of  both. 

(f)  The  ambitious  attempts  of  some  of  the  districts  to  pro- 
vide higher  education  within  their  own  territories  and  for  their 
own  constituents,  to  include  within  the  curriculum  of  the  district 
schools  some  or  all  of  the  subjects  for  study  provided  by  law  for 
the  high  schools  supported  by  the  whole  town,  impeded  greatly 
the  development  of  a  general  town  high  school.  On  this  see  the 
reports  of  the  following  towns:  South  Hadley  (1857-58), 
Mendon  (1833-34),  Medway  (1854-55),  Hblyoke  (1854),  Black- 
stone  (1850-51). 

(2)  Curricular  Aspect:  In  Chapter  II18  and  Table  XVII19 
are  indicated  the  studies  which  were  prescribed  by  law  for  the 
elementary  and  high  schools.  For  the  period  previous  to  1861 
the  studies  of  the  elementary  school  prescribed  by  law  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows : 

1827-1857     Orthography,    reading,    writing,    English    grammar, 

geography,  arithmetic. 
1850     Physiology  and  hygiene  made  permissive. 

1857  Algebra  and  the  history  of  the  United  States  were 

added  to  the  requirements  of  1827. 

1858  Physiology    and     hygiene     were     made     obligatory. 

Algebra  was  made  permissive. 

1859  Algebra,     vocal    music,     drawing,     physiology,     and 

hygiene  were  made  permissive. 

The  work  of  the  elementary  school,  thus  clearly  outlined  in 
the  statutes  and  the  subjects  therein  prescribed,  naturally  formed 
the  back-bone  of  the  work  of  the  lower  schools.  Not  content  with 
this  work,  however,  the  elementary  school  curriculum  soon  tran- 
scended this  work  and  encroached  on  the  studies  which  were  pre- 
scribed by  law  for  the  high  school.  This  is  clearly  shown  by  the 
data  given  in  the  Abstracts  of  Massachusetts  School  Returns  for 
the  period  1834-1841.  Figures  compiled  from  the  returns  are 
given  in  Table  XVIII.20  The  part  directly  affecting  the  present 
issue  is  reproduced  below.  During  the  period  for  which  these 
figures  are  given  there  existed  in  the  state  not  more  than  seventeen 

18  Cf.  pages  24-34. 

19  Cf.  pages  71-73. 

20  Cf.  page  75- 


64  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

or  eighteen  high  schools  so  that  any  number  in  excess  of  these 
represented  the  number  of  elemetanry  schools  in  which  the  various 
high  schools  subjects  were  taught.  The  figures  are  rather  in- 
accurate and  must  not  be  taken  in  too  exact  an  interpretation. 

TABLE  XIII 
TOWNS  CLAIMING  TO  OFFER  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  IN  THEIR  SCHOOLS 


^Igebra 

1834 
-? 

1837 
84. 

1838-9    : 
60 

[839-40 

Q-7 

1840-1 

IO4. 

Natural  Philosophy     

24. 

66 

ISO 

I  7O 

181 

U  S  History 

64 

OQQ 

177 

178 

167 

Other  History      , 

2O 

Q4. 

?8 

Q7 

62 

Mental  Science21       .        .    . 

I 

16 

66 

IO"> 

116 

Astronomy  

18 

21 

44 

5$ 

48 

Geometry          ...        .    .  .  , 

...                2 

4.c 

22 

27 

18 

Chemistry  

•z 

18 

AT. 

S7 

41 

Political  Science22.. 

12 

Q 

20 

20 

SO 

Such  a  situation  as  is  indicated  by  the  above  figures  merely 
shows  that  at  that  period  there  was  in  evidence  the  ambitious  at- 
tempt on  the  part  of  the  smaller  and  lower  schools  to  spread  out 
into  the  field  which  properly  belonged  to  the  high  school. 

If  it  was  true  that  the  elementary  school  encroached  on  the  field 
of  the  high  school  it  was  also  true  that  it  was  necessary  for  the 
high  school  to  do  considerable  work  which  properly  belonged  in 
the  field  of  the  elementary  school.  This  is  evidenced  as  late  as 
1860  by  the  figures  given  in  Tables  XX-XXI.23  There  we  find 
that  almost  all  of  the  studies  which  pertained  properly  to  the 
elementary  school  curriculum  were  to  be  found  in  the  curriculum 
of  the  high  school  either  in  the  way  of  reviews  for  the  first  year 
of  the  high  school  course  or  as  actual  studies  in  the  high  school 
curriculum  proper. 

That  the  disorganized  condition  of  public  education  caused  by 
the  district  system  had  a  bad  effect  on  the  growth  of  the  high 
school  during  the  early  period  there  can  be  little  doubt.  That  a 
reciprocal  influence  was  brought  to  bear  on  the  district  system 
by  the  high  school  movement  when  once  under  way  is  also  true. 
Above  all  things  the  high  school  once  established  required  a  well 
graded  elementary  school  to  contribute  to  it  a  body  of  pupils 
whose  previous  training  had  been  more  or  less  uniform  and  which 

21  Watts,  On  the  Mind.     Cf.  page  143. 

22  Sullivan's   Political   Class-book.     Cf.  page   141. 

23  Cf.  pages  83-84. 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions    65 

was  designed  to  lead  up  to  its  standards.  This  the  schools  main- 
tained under  the  district  system  were  ill-fitted  to  do  and  the  effect 
upon  the  lower  schools  of  the  establishment  of  high  schools 
in  the  various  towns  of  the  state  is  clearly  discernible  in  the 
accounts  given  by  the  reports  of  the  school  committees.  The  very 
fact  of  a  clear  plane  of  differentiation  between  the  functions  of  the 
two  grades  of  schools  which  was  maintained  toward  the  end  of 
the  period  under  consideration  in  this  discussion  is  an  indication 
of  the  effect  of  the  high  school  on  the  elementary  school.  The 
maintenance  of  a  high  school  in  any  town  meant  at  once  the  with- 
drawal of  the  studies  which  never  should  have  been  a  part  of  the 
elementary  school  curriculum  but  which  the  lower  schools  had 
attempted  to  include  to  the  detriment  of  their  proper  work. 

4.  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  %N  ITS  RELATION  TO  THE  COLLEGE 
The  relation  between  the  secondary  schools  of  Massachusetts 
and  the  college  has  always  been  peculiarly  intimate.  By  the  law 
of  1647  specific  provision  was  made  that  the  master  of  the  gram- 
mar school  should  be  able  "  to  instruct  youth  so  farr  as  they  may 
be  fited  for  the  university."  At  that  time  the  only  college  was 
Harvard,  so  that  this  provision  was  to  be  interpreted  in  terms  of 
the  regulations  laid  down  by  that  college  for  the  admission  of  stu- 
dents. The  earliest  regulations  made  by  the  university  were  those 
of  1642  drawn  up  under  the  direction  of  President  Dunster.  In 
these  the  requirements  for  admission  were  as  follows :  24  "  When 
any  Scholar  is  able  to  read  Tully  or  such  like  classical  Latin 
Author  ex  tempore,  and  make  and  speake  true  Latin  in  verse  and 
prose,  suo  (ut  aiunt)  Marte,  and  decline  perfectly  the  paridigms 
of  nounes  and  verbes  in  ye  Greeke  tongue,  then  may  hee  bee  ad- 
mitted into  ye  College,  nor  shall  any  claime  admission  before  such 
qualifications." 

These  regulations  for  admission  to  Harvard  remained  essentially 
the  same  throughout  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries  and 
for  the  period  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  the  only  requirements 
set  by  the  college  were  a  knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek.  In 
1807,  however,  a  change  was  made  in  the  requirements  so  that 
some  arithmetic  and  geography  were  included.  In  arithmetic  the 
candidate  was  required  to  "be  well  instructed  in  the  following 

24  This  translation   in  manuscript   was   attached   to   the   original   Latin, 
College  Book  No.  i.     Cf.  Broome,  Edwin  C,  College  Admission  Require- 
ments. 
5 


66  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

rules  of  Arithmetic,  namely,  Notation,  simple  and  compound,  Ad- 
dition, Subtraction,  Multiplication,  and  Division,  together  with  Re- 
duction and  the  Single  Rule  of  Three."  In  geography  was  required 
the  knowledge  of  a  "  Compendium  of  Geography."  At  the  same 
time  specific  requirements  were  made  as  to  the  amount  and 
character  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  work.  "  Each  candidate  shall  be 
examined  in  the  grammar  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages,  and 
in  any  parts  of  the  following  Greek  and  Latin  books,  with  every 
part  of  which  he  must  be  acquainted,  namely,  Dalzel's  Collectanea 
Graeca  Minora,  The  Greek  Testament,  Virgil,  Sallust  and  Cicero's 
Select  Orations." 

In  1820  there  was  added  to  the  requirements  for  admission: 
"  Algebra  to  the  end  of  simple  equations,  comprehending  also  the 
doctrines  of  roots  and  powers,  arithmetical  and  geometrical  pro- 
gression." In  1843-44  (catalogue,  p.  29)  the  requirements  in 
mathematics  had  been  extended  to  include  geometry.  The  ex- 
amination in  the  mathematics  then  comprehended :  "  In  Davies's 
and  Lacroix's  Arithmetic,  Euler's  Algebra  or  Davies's  First  Les- 
sons in  Algebra  "  to  "  the  Extraction  of  Square  Root  " ;  and  "  an 
Introduction  of  Geometry  and  the  Science  of  Form,*  prepared  from 
the  most  approved  Prussian  Text  Books  "  to  "  VII,  of  Propor- 
tions." 

Ancient  History  (Worcester's  Elements  of  History)  was  re- 
quired as  a  separate  subject  in  1846-47  (catalogue,  p.  35)  and 
Physical  Geography  in  1870. 

The  dates  of  the  introduction  of  the  various  subjects  required 
for  admission  to  Harvard  up  to  1870  may  be  summarized  as 
follows : 

TABLE  XIV 

Latin                              1640  (1642)                 Algebra  1820 

Greek                             1640  (1624)                 Geometry  1843-44 

Arithmetic                     1807                             Ancient  History  1846-47 

Geography                     1807                             Reading  English  aloud  1865-66 
Physical  Geography                         1870 

Throughout  the  period  considered  in  this  discussion  the  standard 
requirements,  for  entrance  to  college  which  pertained  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts schools  were  those  of  Harvard.  The  only  other  colleges  of 
Massachusetts  founded  within  that  period  which  could  have  had  any 

;;  "  NOTE.    The  examination  upon  Geometry  will  be  especially  directed  to 
ascertain  the  distinction  of  the  pupils'  ideas  upon  the  nature  of  form." 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions    67 

appreciable  influence  on  the  schools  of  that  state,  were  Williams 
College,  founded  1793  (1785),  and  Amherst  College,  founded 
1821.  In  general  the  requirements  of  these  colleges  for  admission 
of  students  approximated  those  of  Harvard.  It  should  be  noted, 
however,  that  arithmetic  appears  in  the  requirements  of  Williams 
by  i29Si  In  the  earlier  Amherst  catalogues  it  is  not  quite  clear 
whether  the  studies  mentioned  as  "  Preparatory  Studies  "  were  re- 
quired before  entrance  or  could  be  in  part  completed  in  college. 
The  evidence  seems  to  favor  the  former  view.25  If  so  then  the 
subject  of  English  grammar  was  one  of  the  entrance  requirements 
of  Amherst  practically  from  the  establishment  of  that  college  in 
1821.  As  early  as  1835  at  least,  such  was  the  case  thus  antedating 
the  requirements  of  Harvard.  In  general,  however,  it  is  fair  to 
say  that  priority  of  establishment,  the  large  number  of  her  students 
and  graduates,  and  the  prestige  of  Harvard  gave  her  the  leading 
position  in  the  state  and  pre-eminence  in  guiding  the  educational 
policy  of  the  state.  In  some  cases  we  find  direct  reference  to  the 
entrance  requirements  of  one  of  the  smaller  colleges :  e.  g., 
Amherst,  Report  1861-62 :  "  Pupils  in  Latin  will  be  required  to  pur- 
sue only  those  studies  which  are  necessary  for  admission  to  Col- 
lege, and  will  use  the  text-books  from  which  they  will  be  examined 
for  admission  to  Amherst  College."  Such  direct  reference  to  the 
requirements  of  Amherst  or  Williams  are  rare,  however,  and,  as 
in  the  above  instance,  are  confined  to  schools  in  towns  in  the 
neighborhood  of  those  colleges. 

During  the  colonial  period,  as  has  been  said,  preparation  for 
entrance  to  college  was  the  specifically  stated  aim  of  the  instruction 
in  the  secondary  schools  of  Massachusetts.  Throughout  this 
period,  then,  the  control  of  the  college  over  the  curriculum  of  the 
public  secondary  school  was  complete  and  this  control  is  clearly 
reflected  in  the  purely  classical  character  of  the  colonial  Latin 
grammar  school.  Doubtless  the  students  in  these  schools,  even 
those  who  did  not  continue  their  work  in  the  college,  gained  a 
certain  amount  of  knowledge  and  secured  a  certain  amount  of 
training  which  was  of  value  aside  from  the  fact  that  it  prepared 
them  for  college.  Nevertheless  the  influence  of  the  college  on  the 
secondary  schools  and  their  curriculum  was  out  of  all  proportion 
to  the  number  of  students  who  entered  college.  The  absurdity  of 

25  Cf.  "  The  '  Substance  of  Two  Reports  of  the  Faculty  of  Amherst 
College,"  page  n. 


68  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

a  law  limiting  secondary  education  to  preparation  for  entrance  to 
college  is  clearly  shown  by  the  fact  that  more  Latin  grammar 

i  schools  were  required  by  law  in  Massachusetts  than  there  were 
students  entering  college  in  any  one  year  during  the  later  colonial 

;  period.  Thus  according  to  the  census  of  1790  some  113  Latin 
grammar  schools  were  required  by  law;  in  1820  were  required 
some  173.  As  late  as  1825  the  class  entering  Harvard  contained 
only  71  Freshmen. 

TABLE  XV 
PREPARATORY  STUDIES  OF  HARVARD,  WIUJAMS,  AND  AMHERST— 1829 

(Quarterly  Register  and  Journal,  Vol.  I,  1829,  p.  228.) 
Harvard  Williams  Amherst 

Latin  Grammar  Latin  Grammar  Clark's  Introduction 

Sallust  Caesar  Sallust 

Cicero's  Orations  Cicero's  Orations  Cicero 

Virgil  Virgil  Virgil 

Greek  Grammar  Greek  Grammar  Greek  Grammar 

Greek  Reader  Greek  Reader,  or  Greek  Reader 

Graeca  Minora 

Four  Gospels  Greek  Testament  Four  Gospels 

Prosody  English  Grammar  English  Grammar 

Arithmetic  Arithmetic  Arithmetic 

Geography  Geography  Geography 

Algebra  to  Simple  Algebra  to  Simple 

Equations  Equations 

The  above  presentation  of  the  studies  required  for  entrance  to 
the  colleges  of  Massachusetts  in  1829  will  give  an  idea  of  the 
general  uniformity  in  those  requirements  at  the  beginning  of  the 
high  school  period.  The  only  differences  worthy  of  notice  are  that 
Williams  College  had  no  requirement  for  algebra  at  that  time,  and 
that  English  grammar  was  not  required  at  Harvard. 

Whether  or  not  the  type  of  school  represented  by  the  Latin 
grammar  school  with  its  purely  classical  curriculum  was  entirely 
dominated  by  the  college  or  really  represented  the  general  educa- 
tional aim  of  the  time  founded  on  tradition  and  previous  practice, 
shortly  after  the  close  of  the  colonial  period  and  about  the  be- 
ginning of  the  nineteenth  century  there  came  a  great  change  in  the 
conpeption  of  what  the  secondary  schools  should  try  to  accomplish. 
This  was  evidenced  by  the  rise  of  the  academy  movement,  the 
founding  of  the  English  Classical  School  and  of  the  High  School 
for  Girls  in  Boston,  and  the  passage  of  the  law  of  1827. 


High  School  in  Relation  to  Other  Educational  Institutions    69 

In  the  constitution  of  Phillips  Andover  Academy,  incorporated 
in  the  deed  establishing  that  institution  in  1778,  it  was  stated  that 
that  academy  was  founded,  "  for  the  purpose  of  instructing  Youth, 
not  only  in  English  and  Latin  Grammar,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  and 
those  Sciences  wherein  they  are  commonly  taught;  but  more  es- 
pecially to  learn  them  the  great  end  and  real  business  of  living." 
Instruction  was  to  be  given  "  in  the  English,  Latin,  and  Greek 
languages,  together  with  Writing,  Arithmetic,  Music,  and  the 
Art  of  Speaking  "  ;  "  Practical  Geometry,  Logic,  and  Geography/' 
etc. 

In  the  regulations  for  the  English  High  School  of  Boston  for 
1833  (pp.  14-16)  the  following  statement  is  found  which  will  in- 
dictate  the  attitude  of  the  founders  of  that  institution :  "  It  was 
instituted  in  1821,  with  the  design  of  furnishing  the  young  men  of 
the  city  who  are  not  intended  for  a  collegiate  course  of  study,  and 
who  have  enjoyed  the  usual  advantages  of  the  other  public  schools, 
with  the  means  of  completing  a  good  English  Education  to  fit  them 
for  active  life,  or  qualify  them  for  eminence  in  private  or  public 
stations.  Here  is  given  instruction  in  the  elements  of  mathematics 
and  natural  philosophy,  with  their  applications  to  the  sciences  and 
arts,  in  grammar,  rhetoric,  and  belles  lettres,  in  moral  philosophy, 
in  history  natural  and  civil,  and  in  the  French  language."  A 
further  and  equally,  if  not  more,  radical  step  was  taken  when  the 
High  School  for  Girls  was  established  in  1826  in  Boston.  Here 
first  was  higher  education  provided  for  girls  in  the  public  school 
system  of  Massachusetts. 

This  schism  between  the  public  secondary  school  and  the  domi- 
nance of  the  college  was  furthered  by  the  provisions  of  the  law  of 
1827.  These  have  been  outlined  befofe.26  At  that  time  the  en- 
trance requirements  of  Harvard  College  demanded  the  following 
subjects:  Latin  (Grammar,  Prosody,  Virgil,  Cicero's  Select  Ora- 
tions, and  Sallust),  Greek  (Grammar,  Prosody,  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment, Dalzel's  Collectanea  Graeca  Minora),  Arithmetic,  Geog- 
raphy, Algebra.  In  addition  to  these  subjects  the  law  of  1827 
called  for  training  in  the  history  of  the  United  States,  bookkeeping, 
geometry,  surveying,  history,  rhetoric,  and  logic.  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  curriculum  of  the  new  type  of  school  far  transcended  the 
requirements  for  admission  to  college. 

A  further  >  departure  from  previous  conditions  and  from  the 

26  Pages  27-28. 


70  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

^dominance  of  the  college  is  found  in  the  fact  that  in  the  majority 
of  towns  preparation  for  college  was  entirely  ignored  by  not  re- 
quiring Latin  and  Greek  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  less  than 
four  thousand  inhabitants,  and  in  raising  the  required  population 
for  the  maintenance  of  secondary  schools  from  200  to  500  families. 

Attention  has  been  called  before  this  to  the  fact  that  studies  once 
confined  to  the  college  curriculum  have  gradually  backed  down 
from  the  college  to  the  high  school.27  This  is  clearly  attested  by 
the  above  presented  data  and  is  to  be  seen  in  the  subsequent  history 
of  the  high  school  curriculum  in  Massachusetts.  Throughout  the 
period  considered  in  this  discussion,  beginning  in  the  second  quarter 
of  the  nineteenth  century  the  influence  of  the  college  on  the  high 
school  was  one  rather  of  example  than  of  demand,  inasmuch  as  the 
legal  requirements  and  the  practice  of  the  high  schools  constantly 
anticipated  the  requirements  set  by  the  college. 

The  following  table  presenting  the  data  regarding  the  number 
of  students  entering  the  freshman  classes  of  Harvard,  Williams, 
and  Amherst  at  various  periods  will  give  some  idea  of  the  contri- 
bution (as  a  maximum  limit)  of  the  Massachusetts  schools  to  the 
colleges. 

TABLE  XVI 
THE  ENTERING  CLASSES  AT 
HARVARD         WILLIAMS  AMHERST  TOTAL 

Total  Mass.  Total  Mass.  Total  Mas!.  Total  Mass. 

1829-30             55  49  22  13  37  31"  114  93 

1839-40             76  61  24  9  38  24  138  94 

1849-50             87  73  27  10  53  34  167  117 

1859-60           128  87  56  21  67  36  251  144 

These  figures  can  give  but  an  outside  limit  of  the  number  of 
students  contributed  by  Massachusetts  to  her  own  colleges.  A 
large  number  of  the  entering  classes  of  the  colleges  came  from 
the  academies  which  toward  the  end  of  this  period  became  prac- 
tically preparatory  schools. 

27  Broome,  Edwin  C,  College  Admission  Requirements,  pages  35-36. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  CURRICULUM  OF  THE  MASSACHUSETTS  HIGH 
SCHOOLS  PREVIOUS  TO  1861. 

i.     LEGAL  REQUIREMENTS 

Throughout  the  colonial  period,  and,  in  fact,  until  the  passage  of 
the  statute  of  1827,  the  laws  of  Massachusetts  required  only  the 
Latin  and  Greek  languages  to  be  taught  in  the  secondary  school  in 
addition  to  the  subjects  required  to  be  taught  in  the  elementary 
schools.  Beginning  in  1827,  however,  the  laws  required  a  much 
more  extensive  group  of  studies  to  be  taught,  a  group  of  studies 
which  radically  changed  the  character  of  the  secondary  school 
curriculum  and  created  a  type  of  school  which  was  fundamentally 
different  from  the  older  Latin  grammar  school. 
*  The  character  of  the  curriculum  thus  required  by  law  as  a 
minimum,  and  the  various  changes  made  in  the  subject  matter  to 
be  taught  in  4he  secondary  schools  can  be  seen  from  the  following 
data  which  wef^  compiled  from  the  various  laws  passed  in  the 
years  indicated.*  Included  here  are  also  data  regarding  the  subjects 
required  to  be  'taught  in  the  elementary '  schools,  that  the  proper 
relation  between  the  secondary  and  elementary  schools  may  be 
understood  more  readily.  No  allowance  is  made  here  for  the 
possibility  offered  by  various  relief  laws  for  towns  to  avoid  the 
maintenance  of  high  schools  at  some  periods.  On  this  see  the 
material  presented  in  Chapter  II. 

TABLE  xvn 

STUDIES  REQUIRED  BY  LAW  IN  MASSACHUSETTS  —  CONSIDERED  BY 

SUBJECTS 

Reading:     Required  in  elementary  'schools  1647-1898 — . 
Writing:    Required  in  elementary  schools  1647-1898 — . 


72  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

English  Grammar:  Required  in  elementary  schools  1789- 
1898—. 

Arithmetic:    Required  in  elementary  schools  1789-1898 — . 

Orthography:    Required  in  elementary  schools  1789-1898 — . 

Geography:    Required  in  elementary  schools  1827-1898 — . 

Bookkeeping:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  500 
families  and  over  1827-1898.  Until  1835  "by  single  entry." 
After  1898  permissive. 

United  States  History:  Required  in  high  schools  in  towns  of 
500  families  and  over  1827-1857.  Required  in  elementary  schools 
1857-1898—. 

General  History:  Required  in  high  schools  in  towns  of  4000 
inhabitants  and  over  1827-1835  under  the  head  of  "  history," 
1835-1857  under  head  of  "general  history."  Required  in  towns 
of  500  families  and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Algebra:  Required  in  high  schools  of  towns  of  500  families 
1827-1857.  Required  in  elementary  schools  1857-1858.  1859-1898 
—  permissive. 

Geometry:  Required  in  high  schools  of  towns  of  500  families 
1827-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Surveying:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  500 
families  and  over  1827-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Latin:  Required  in  Latin  grammar  school  1647-1827.  Required 
in  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000  inhabitants  and  over  1827-1857. 
Required  in  towns  of  500  families  and  over  1857-1898.  After 
1898  permissive. 

Greek:  Required  in  Latin  grammar  school  1647-1827.  Re- 
quired in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000  inhabitants  and  over 
1827-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

French:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000  inhabi- 
tants and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Rhetoric:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000  in- 
habitants and  over  1827-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Logic:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000  inhabi- 
tants and  over  1827-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Natural  Philosophy:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of 
500  families  and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Chemistry:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  500 
families  and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Preznous  1861     73 

Botany:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  500  families 
and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Astronomy:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000 
inhabitants  and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Geology:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000  in- 
habitants and  over  1857-1898.  After  1898  permissive. 

Intellectual  Science:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of 
4000  inhabitants  and  over  1857-1898. 

Moral  Science:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  4000 
inhabitants  and  over  1857-1898. 

Civil  Polity:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of  500 
families  and  over  1857-1898.  Civil  government  permissive  after 
1898. 

Political  Economy:  Required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  of 
4000  inhabitants  and  over  1857-1898. 

Physiology  and  Hygiene:  Permissive  in  all  schools  1850-1858. 
Required  in  common  schools  1858-1859.  Permissive  in  all  schools 
1859-1885.  Required  of  all  pupils  1885-1898.  Required  in  ele- 
mentary schools  after  1898  and  permissive  in  high  schools. 

Vocal  Music:  Permissive  in  elementary  schools  1859-1898. 
Permissive  in  all  schools  1898 — . 

Drawing:  Permissive  in  elementary  schools  1859-1882.  Re- 
quired in  all  schools  1882-1898.  Industrial  and  mechanical  draw- 
ing permissive  in  all  towns  and  required  in  towns  of  10,000  inhabi- 
tants and  over  1870-1898 — . 

Agriculture:    Permissive  in  all  schools  1862-1898 — . 

Sewing:    Permissive  in  all  schools  1876-1898 — . 

Cooking:    Permissive  in  all  schools  1894-1898 — . 

Manual  Training:  Use  of  hand  tools  permissive  1884-1898 — . 
Manual  training  required  in  all  towns  of  20,000  inhabitants  and 
over  1894-1898.  Required  in  such  towns  in  both  elementary  school 
and  high  school  1898 — . 

Ethics,  Physical  Training,  Kindergarten  Training,  etc. :  Permis- 
sive after  1898. 

2.     THE  CURRICULUM  IN  ACTUAL  PRACTICE 

A.     Variations  from  the  Law 

The  requirements  of  the  law  regarding  the  subjects  to  be  taught 
in  the  schools  of  Massachusetts  have  been  outlined  above.  These 


74  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

subjects  formed  but  a  minimum  requirement  and  in  actual  practice 
a  number  were  to  be  found  which  were  not  required  by  the 
statutes.  This  was  especially  true  in  the  larger  towns  and  in 
towns  where  the  early  establishment  of  secondary  schools  offered 
an  opportunity  for  an  extended  development.  On  the  other  hand 
it  is  needless  to  say  that  many  schools  failed  to  live  up  to  the  legal 
requirements.  Variations  from  the  curriculum  established  by  law 
might  be  found  tending  in  at  least  five  directions/: 

(1)  In  towns  where  no  high  schools  existed  there  was  a  con- 
stant tendency  for  the  curriculum  of  the  elementary  schools  to  ex- 
tend itself  beyond  the  requirements  of  the  law  for  the  lower  schools 
and  to  contain  subjects  which  were  at  the  time  or  at  a  later  period 
required  by  law  of  the  high  schools. 

(2)  High  schools  in  the  larger  towns  and  in  towns  where  such 
schools  were  early  established  tended  to  contain  in  the  curricula 
subjects  which  were  not  required  by  law.  • 

(3)  Some  schools  credited  with  being  high  schools  and  com- 
monly so  considered  did  not  completely  conform  with  the  legal 
requirements  with  regard  to  the  subjects  taught.  • 

(4)  Towns  of  five  hundred  families  but  of  less  than  four 
thousand  inhabitants  and  thus  required  to  maintain  high  schools 
of  lower  grade  only,  tended,  once  they  had  established  high  schools 
at  all,  to  include  within  the  high  school  curricula  some  or  all  of 
the  subjects  required  only  of  high  schools  of  higher  grade. 

(5)  Several   towns    not   required   by   law   to   maintain   high 
schools  at  all,  did  establish  such  schools  and  afforded  instruction 
in  high  school  subjects  not  required  of  them. 

Let  us  consider  these  points  seriatim.  "X 

It  has  frequently  been  supposed  that  the  ranking  of  a  school, 
primary,  grammar,  or  high,  could  be  established  approximately  by 
the  subjects  taught  in  that  school.  This  is,  of  course,  essentially 
true,  but  in  the  case  of  Massachusetts  schools  at  some  periods  such 
a  criterion  as  this  would  be  more  or  less  misleading.  As  has  been 
shown  before  the  ranking  of  a  school  in  that  state  was  determined 
by  law  and  the  subjects  to  be  taught  in  each  kind  of  school  was 
specifically  determined. 

/  The  studies  prescribed  by  law  to  be  taught  in  the  common  schools 

(have  been  outlined  before.     From  1827  on  they  were,  in  general: 

\reading,  writing,  English,  grammar,  orthography  and  geography. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861     75 

Algebra  and  United  States  history  were  added  in  1857.  Yet  as 
early  as  1840  the  common  schools  had  reached  out  far  beyond  the 
legal  requirements  and  many  claimed  to  teach  numerous  branches 
higher  than  those  required  by  law.  This  can  be  seen  from  the  data 
presented  in  Table  XVIII,  which  was  compiled  from  the  Ab- 
stracts of  School  Returns  of  Massachusetts  from  1837  to  1841. 
Owing  to  the  incompleteness  of  the  returns  and  the  unreliability 
which  is  evident  in  some  cases,  exactness  is  not  to  be  looked  for  in 
the  summary  and  too  much  reliance  ought  not  to  be  placed  on  the 
figures  given.  Nevertheless  the  general  trend  is  too  evident  to  be 
negated  by  the  incompleteness  and  inaccuracy  of  the  returns,  and 
it  is  clear  that  in  the  effort  to  extend  their  sphere  of  influence  the  \ 
elementary  schools  had  by  1840  far  transcended  the  legal  require- 
ments. 

TABLE  XVIII 
NUMBER  OF  TOWNS  CLAIMING  TO  OFFER  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  1834-1841 

1834        1837     1838-9   1839-40     1840-1 

Towns  reporting 261  294          298          301  304 

Algebra 3  84  69  93  104 

Natural  Philosophy 24  66  150  170  181 

U.  S.  History 64  209  177  178  167 

Other  History 29  94  78  93  62 

Mental  Science i  16  66  105  1 16 

Astronomy 18  21  44  58  48 

Geometry 2  45  22  23  18 

Chemistry 3  18  43  57  41 

Political  Science 12  9  29  29  30 

Moral  Science 4  5  21  17  13 

Bookkeeping i  5  17  24  21 

Latin 3  4  n  21  16 

Greek i  3  7  12  5 

French 00553 

Rhetoric 9  5  19  17  18 

Logic 2  o  5  7  3 

Surveying 2  4  15  13  15 

Navigation o  2  4  5  5 

Trigonometry o  o  2  2  3 

Botany 3  2  9  9  3 

Geology o  o  i  i  i 

Natural  History i  i  2  3  2 

Anatomy  and  Physiology. ..    o  i  i  2  i 

In  estimating  these  data  it  must  be  remembered  that  many  towns 
did  not  report  and  that  many  towns  which  did  report  failed  to  give 
anything  HVe  ?v" ~<-  'Ma  regarding  the  studies  pursued. 


76  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

From  this  table  we  may  note  that,  while  certainly  not  more 
han  about  eighteen  high  schools  existed  in  the  state  in  I84O,1 
nore  than  one-third  of  the  towns  of  the  commonwealth  claimed  to 
ffer  algebra  and  mental  science  (Watts  On  the  Mind)  \  more  than 
<  me-half  claimed  to  offer  natural  philosophy  and  the  history  of  the 
/  United   States ;    and   many   towns   claimed  to  offer   astronomy, 
J    geometry,  chemistry,  political  science,  etc.,  all  of  which  were  then 
or  became  later  required  subjects  for  the  high  school.    It  has  fre- 
quently been  supposed  that  the  study  of  algebra  was  one  which 
/  would  serve  to  mark  off  and  differentiate  the  high  school  curricu- 
lum from  that  of  the  elementary  school.     How  far  that  is  from 
being  the  case  here  can  be  seen  from  the  above  data. 

In  the  following  table  a  further  indication  is  given  of  the  ex- 
>    tent  to  which  the  curriculum  of  the  elementary  school  had  en- 
croached on  the  work  of  the  high  school.     The  table  shows  the 
number  of  towns  claiming  to  offer  courses  in  the  subjects  required 
x  for  high  schools  in  towns  of  five  hundred  families  by  the  law  of 
1827. 

TABLE  XIX 

1837  1838-9  1839-40     1840-1 

United  States  History 209  177  178  167 

Bookkeeping 5  17  24  21 

Geometry 45  22  23  18 

Surveying 4  15  13  15 

Algebra 84  69  93  104 

History  other  than  U.  S 94  78  93  62 

This  state  of  affairs  is  confirmed  by  the  statements  found  in 
many  reports.  Witness  the  Report  of  the  Committee  of  Schools 
of  Danvers  for  i85o:2  "We  were  indicted  only  for  not  having 
an  English  High  School.  But  in  almost  all  the  schools  in  town, 
the  branches  which  are  required  to  be  taught  in  such  an  institu- 
tion have  long  since  been  introduced,  and  teachers  have  been 
employed  to  give  instruction  relating  to  them,  and  other  advanced 
studies  not  required  by  the  Statute;  so  that  in  fact  we  have  had 
for  a  series  of  years  a  dozen  English  High  Schools  every  winter 
instead  of  one." 

1  Cf.  pages  42-46. 

2  Danvers  report  fdr  1850,  page  7. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861     77 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  larger  and  more  wealthy  towns 
would  restrict  the  curricula  of  their  high  schools  to  the  subjects 
required  by  a  state  law  which  was  made  to  suit  the  needs  of  the 
whole  state  and  which  was  to  be  considered  as  a  minimum  require- 
ment. Hence  we  find  in  the  high  schools  of  such  towns  various 
subjects  taught  which  were  either  in  advance  of  legislation  or  alto- 
gether beyond  {he  range  of  studies  ever  prescribed  by  statute. 

The  curriculum  proposed  and  accepted  for  the  Boston  English 
Classical  School  (=  English  High  School)  for  1821  is  given  on 
pages  16-17.  It  will  be  noted  that  here  are  found  essentially  all 
the  subjects  prescribed  later  for  the  state  by  the  law  of  1827  except 
bookkeeping,  though  Latin  and  Greek  are  relegated  entirely  to  the 
Latin  Grammar  School.  In  addition  we  find  trigonometry,  naviga- 
tion, mensuration,  natural  philosophy,  astronomy,  moral  and 
political  philosophy.  By  1823  were  added  bookkeeping  by  single  and 
double  entry,  sacred  geography,  natural  theology,  evidences  of 
Christianity.  The  High  School  for  Girls  of  Boston  (begun  1826 
and  suspended  1828)  offered,  in  addition  to  the  other 
studies,  history  of  England,  botany,  French,  and  map-making. 
Thus  before  the  passage  of  the  act  of  1827,  in  Boston  at  least  a 
rather  extensive  curriculum  had  already  been  in  operation. 

Afterward  we  find  many  towns  offering  subjects  in  the 
curricula  of  the  high  schools  which  far  transcended  the  legal 
requirements  :  E.  g.,  in  Nantucket  in  1855  a  Committee  of  Teachers 
prepared  a  program  of  studies  which  included,  in  addition  to  the 
subjects  legally  required  of  high  schools,  astronomy,  trigonometry, 
natural  philosophy,  chemistry,  physical  geography,  meteorology, 
natural  history,  botany,  geology,  mineralogy,  natural  theology, 
mental  philosophy,  moral  philosophy,  French,  German,  political 
economy,  and  English  literature. 

Strictly  speaking  a  school  which  did  not  completely  fulfil  the 
requirements  of  the  fifth  section  of  the  twenty-third  chapter  of 
the  Revised  Statutes  (1835)  and  all  the  laws  which  were  based 
on  the  law  of  1827,  could  not  legally  claim  to  be  a  high  school. 
Nevertheless  several  schools  which  failed  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  the  law  in  full,  did  assume  that  nomenclature  and  were  com- 
monly so  designated,  even  by  the  secretary  of  the  state  board.  In 
such  cases  it  frequently  was  true  that  the  so-called  "  High  School  " 
did  not  contain  in  its  curriculum  some  of  the  studies  prescribed 


78  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

by  law  for  high  schools,  so  much  so  that  on  more  than  one 
occasion  the  school  committee  complained  that  the  "  High  School," 
as  far  as  its  curriculum  was  concerned,  was  nothing  but  a  rather 
elevated  district  school.  E.g.,  Clinton  (1851,  1852,  1853),  Adams 
(1855-56),  Abington  (1855),  Brookline  (1854-55,  p.  10,)  Barre 
(1859-60,  p.  22),  Gloucester  (1839,  p.  i),  Newburyport  (1852, 
p.  5),  Palmer  (1859,  p.  9),  Milford  (1858-59,  pp.  5-7). 

The  statutes  drew  a  clear  division  between  the  two  grades  of 
high  schools  for  which  they  provided,  both  as  to  the  necessity 
of  establishing  them  and  as  to  the  studies  prescribed  for  each. 
Nevertheless,  from  the  administrative  side,  once  a  high  school  of 
lower  grade  (prescribed  in  towns  of  five  hundred  families  and 
over)  was  established,  it  was  not  difficult  to  extend  the  curriculum 
to  cover  such  subjects,  in  full  or  in  part,  as  were  required  in 
towns  of  four  thousand  inhabitants  and  over.  Hence  we  find 
_that  towns  of  between  five  hundred  families  and  four  thousand 
inhabitants  tended  to  include  in  the  high  school  curriculum  some 
or  all  of  the  subjects  required  in  towns  of  four  thousand 
inhabitants  and  over  only.  This  was  especially  true  of  the  study 
of  the  classical  languages  even  before  Latin  became  a  required 
subject  in  high  schools  of  lower  grade  in  1857. 

While  some  towns  of  the  state  in  which  the  law  required  the 
maintenance  of  a  high  schpol  failed  in  their  duty,  several  others, 
not  legally  bound  to  do,  so,  established  high  schools.  Statutory 
grounds  for  this  were  specifically  given  in  the  laws  of  1852  (chap- 
ter 123)  but  before  this,  justification  had  been  given  as  early  as 
1845,  represented  by  an  opinion  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the 
case  of  Cushing  vs.  The  Inhabitants  of  Newburyport  (10  Metcalf, 
508) .  In  that  case  the  court  held  that  "  The  power  of  towns  to 
vote  and  grant  money  for  the  support  of  town  schools  is  not 
restricted  to  the  amount  that  is  necessary  to  support  the  school 
which  the  first  five  and  sixtieth  sections  of  C.  23  of  the  Rev.  Sts. 
require  them  to  support,  under  penalty  for  refusal  so  to  do,  but 
they  have  the  power  to  vote  and  grant  money  for  the  support  of 
other  town  schools,  for  instruction  in  branches  of  knowledge  which 
the  revised  statutes  do  not  require  to  be  taught  in  such  schools." 

The  extent  to  which  high  schools  were  established  in  towns  of 
less  than  five  hundred  familiesJcan  be  seen  from  the  data  given  on 
page  37.  A  list  of  such  towns  for  1864  is  given  in  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Education  for  1865,  page  91. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861     79 

Further  knowledge  of  this  can  be  found  in  the  Twenty-fourth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Education  for  1861,  page  93: 
"  In  1856  there  were  eighty  high  schools  in  the  state,  and  in 
seventy  of  these  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages  were  taught. 
There  are  now  known  to  be  one  hundred  and  two  high  schools 
in  which  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  are  taught." 

B.     Requirements  for  Admission 

In  one  sense  it  is  a  pure  anomaly  to  speak  of  the  curriculum  of 
the  Massachusetts  high  school,  inasmuch  as  each  high  school  in 
the  state  had  its  own  curriculum  which  changed  from  period  to 
period.  In  another  sense,  however,  we  may  rightly  speak  of  such 
a  curriculum  as  a  reasonably  definite  thing.  The  group  of  studies 
prescribed  by  the  statutes  formed  a  core  about  which  all  other 
subjects  were  assembled  and  in  the  subject  matter  required  by 
law  we  have  a  minimum_cjirrieiilum  which  was  generally  accepted. 

The  law,  however,  went  no  further  than  to  prescribe  what  sub- 
jects should  be  taught.  It  gave  no  directions  as  to  the  amount 
of  each  subject  to  be  taught,  the  manner  in  which  it  should  be 
taught,  or  the  position  which  it  should  occupy  in  the  curriculum. 
Neither  did  the  law  prescribe  the  point  at  which  the  high  school 
work  should  begin  with  reference  to  the  age  or  attainment  of 
those  pupils  which  were  to  be  admitted  to  the  high  schools.  Nay 
more,  the  wording  of  the  statutes  of  1827-1859,  was  such  as  to 
imply  that  the  studies  prescribed  for  the  lower  schools  should  be 
continued  in  the  high  school,  stating  that  the  master  of  the  high 
school  should  be  competent  to  instruct  "  in  addition  to  the  branches 
of  learning  aforesaid."  In  other  words  the  statutes  not  only 
failed  to  provide  for  any  gradation  in  the  high  school  or  previous 
to  the  high  school,  but  even  fostered  a  situation  which  favored 
ungraded  schools  to  the  extent  above  mentioned.!  However,  the 
need  for  some  restrictions  and  for  some  regulations  regarding 
admittance  to  the  high  school  soon  forced  itself  on  towns  which 
maintained  such  schools  and  there  gradually  developed  some  well 
defined  ide  ices  regarding  entrance  to  the  high  school. 

While  the  1  not  prescribe  any  studies  which  should  be 

required  for  to  the  high  school,  it  did  make  provision 

for  some  n  :t  the  situation.  This  it  did  by  granting  to 

the  school  -»f  each  town  the  power  to  lay  down  certain 

qualificatior  '  >ion : 


8o  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

"  The  school  committee  shall  determine  the  number  and  quali- 
fications of  the  scholars  to  be  admitted  into  the  school  kept  for 
the  use  of  the  whole  town  as  aforesaid." 

Conforming  with  this  provision  certain  qualifications  for  admis- 
sion to  high  schools  were  laid  down  by  the  school  committees 
of  the  various  towns  in  which  those  schools  were  maintained.  As 
would  be  expected  in  the  smaller  towns,  difficulties  in  gradation 
made  it  impossible  to  maintain  any  strict  enforcement  of  such 
requirements  but  in  general  a  fairly  well  determined  standard  for 
admission  was  established  throughout  the  high  schools  of  the  state. 
These  qualifications  followed  two  different  lines :  a  minimum  age 
requirement  and  a  proof  of  ability  as  tested  by  examination  in 
certain  subjects.  Of  these  the  minimum  age  requirement  seldom 
had  any  very  binding  force  and  was  commonly  employed  in  con- 
junction with  other  requirements  for  ability  as  measured  by 
examinations.  When  there  was  an  age  limit  set  it  generally  ranged 
between  ten  and  twelve  years.  Wherever  a  later  age  was  set 
it  usually  meant  that  pupils  could  be  admitted  on  examination  at 
an  earlier  age,  but  that  any  pupil  over  the  age  limit  could  be 
admitted  regardless  of  qualifications.  E.g.,  Wayland  (1854), 
South  Reading  (1846,  1852,  1853). 

In  the  larger  cities  at  an  early  period,  and  in  practicallyjill  towns 
in  which  high  schools  were  maintained  at  a  later  date,  the  require- 
ment for  admission  to  the  high  school  was  the  ability  to  pass 
^an  examination  in  the  subjects  of  the  grammar  school,  reading, 
writing,  spelling,  grammar,  arithmetic,  and  geography.3  This 
we  find  as  early  as  1823  in  the  English  High  School  of  Boston. 
In  some  cases  the  requirements  specifically  state  that  the  subjects 
required  for  admission  are  the  grammar  school  studies.  E.g.,  West- 
field  (1854-55),  Worcester  (1844),  Taunton  (1855-56),  South 
Danvers  (1857),  Plymouth  (1857),  Quincy  (1853),  Nantucket 
(1848).  In  a  few  cities  candidates  were  also  required  to  pass  an 
examination  in  the  history  of  the  United  States,  E.  g.,  Salem 
(1857),  Rockport  (1858),  New  Bedford  (1851,  1860),  Newbury- 
port  (1854,  1857,  1858,  1859),  Maiden  (1860,  p.  14). 

Proficiency  in  these  subjects  was  tested  regularly  by  means  of 
examinations,  which  frequently  were  given  to  the  students  in 
printed  form.  For  examples  of  some  of  these  examinations 

3  Cf.  Cambridge,  Regulations  of  the  Public  Schools,  August  6,  1849,  p.  15. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861    81 

for  entrance  to  the  high  school  see  the  reports  of  South  Danvers 
(1858-59,  p.  ii ),  Newton  (1860-61,  p.  47). 

C.     Extent  of  the  Curriculum 

In  discussing  the  terms  of  admission  above  we  have  seen  the 
material  with  which  the  high  school  had  to  work.  Briefly  it  was 
as  follows  :  a  group  of  pupils  whose  previous  training  had  provided 
a  more  or  less  satisfactory  knowledge  of  reading,  writing,  gram- 
mar, geography  and  arithmetic,  with  the  addition  in  some  cases/ 
of  United  States  history.  The  age  of  admission,  then  as  now] 
necessarily  varied.  In  Danvers  in  i86o,4  the  actual  average  agel 
of  those  admitted  into  the  first  class  was  14.8  years.  In  South 
Danvers  in  i86i,5  it  was  fourteen^ years  and  eleven  months.  In 
Worcester  in  i86i,6  the  average  age  of'seventy-six  pupils  in  the 
first  year  class  was  fifteen  years  and  seven  months  and  of  the 
senior  class  of  twenty  students  the  average  age  was  seventeen  years 
and  eight jnonths.  In  general  the  reports  would  seem  to  indicate 
that  the  average  age  of  entrance  into  the  high  school  was  about } 
fourteen  years. 

What  was  the  actual  training  which  the  pupil  received  in  the 
high  schools  ?  Unfortunately  the  data  which  are  obtainable  are  so 
unsatisfactory  in  their  character,  so  incomplete,  and  given  in  such 
varying  form  that  any  full  and  exact  analysis  of  the  situation  is 
impossible.  However,  an  attempt  has  been  made  in  the  following 
pages  to  present  some  data  which  will  give  an  idea  of  the  situa- 
tion. The  following  table  presents  data  gathered  from  the  reports, 
regulations,  etc.,  of  all  the  high  schools  existing  in  1860  or  before 
that  date.  Data  are  here  presented  indicating  the  town  and  year^ 
in  which  each  subject  appears  first  in  the  program  of  studies.  In 
addition  there  are  presented  figures  indicating  the  number  of  towns 
in  a  selected  group  of  sixty-three  towns  in  whose  high  school 
programs  the  various  subjects  were  to  be  found  up  to  1861.  In 
this  group  there  are  forty  towns  which  in  1860  contained  four 
thousand  inhabitants  or  over,  fifty-five  towns  of  five  hundred 
families  or  over,  and  eight  towns  of  less  than  five  hundred  families 
and  therefore  not  required  by  law  to  maintain  a  high  school. 


4  Danvers  report  for  1860,  p.   n. 

5  South  Danvers  report  for  1861,  p. 

6  Worcester  report  for  1861,  p.  35. 

6 


16. 


82 


The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 


TABLE  XX 

CURRICULA  OF  SIXTY-THREE  TOWNS  BEFORE  1861 

First  Appearance  in      Number  Show- 
Curriculum  of  a  ing  Subject 
High  School  in  the  H.  S. 

Subject  Place                  Year        by  1860-61 

Reading Boston                1821  60 

Writing 1821  50 

Spelling 1821  53 

Grammar 1821  62 

Composition 1821  55 

Rhetoric  .^ 1823  47 

Declamation 1821  47 

Literature 1821  32 

Forensics 1827  i 

Criticism 1821  5 

History  of  Literature ...  Plymouth             1857  2 

MATHEMATICS  :^ 

Arithmetic Boston                1821  59 

Algebra 1821  63 

Geometry 1821  61 

Trigonometry 1821  37 

Surveying 1821  45 

Navigation 1821  15 

Mensuration 1821  15 

Analytic  Geometry  ....  Newburyport           1855  i 

LANGUAGES  ~ 

Latin Boston                1635  63 

Greek 1635  55 

French 1826  55 

German Dorchester             1854  6 

Spanish Salem                 1830  4 

Italian Brighton               1843  2 

GEOGRAPHY  :— , 

Ancient Boston                1821  23 

Modern 1821  16 

Sacred 1823  4 

Physical Lowell,  Cambridge      1852  43 

HISTORY**— 

Ancient Boston                1821  23 

Modern 1821  16 

United  States 1821  39 

General 1823  50 

Mediaeval Charlestown            1855  4 

England Boston                1814  (?)  13 


Notes 
i,  6 
i,  6 
i,  6 

1,  6 
i 
8 

2,  3 
4 


2,  3,  6 

2,  3,  7 

2,3 

2,  3,  7 

2,  3 

2,  3 


2,  3,  7 

2,  3,  8 

8 


2,  6 

5 


NOTES:  i.  Found  in  lower  schools  before  1821.  2.  Found  in  Latin 
grammar  schools  before  1821.  3.  Found  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston 
Public  Latin  School  during  Gould's  regime  (1814-1828).  Cf.  Jenks, 
Boston  Public  Latin  School,  pp.  60  ff.  4.  This  includes  the  study 
of  English  authors.  5.  The  various  parts  of  geography  and  history  cannot 
always  be  clearly  discovered  from  the  reports,  etc.  6.  Required  in  the 
common  schools  by  the  law  of  1857.  7.  Required  in  the  high  schools 
of  towns  of  five  hundred  families  by  the  law  of  1857.  8.  Required  in  the 
high  schools  of  towns  of  four  thousand  inhabitants  by  the  law  of  1857. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861    83 


TABLE  XX  (Continued). 

First  Appearance  in     Number  Show- 
Curriculum  of  a  ing  Subject 
High  School               in  the  H.  S. 
Subject                               Place    "                  Year        by  1866-1       Notes 

France Salem  1827  (?)  2 

Massachusetts Springfield  1861  i 

Connecticut Sandisfield  1839  i 

POLITICAL  SCIENCE  : 

U.  S.  Constitution Boston                 1828  28                       7 

Mass.  Constitution Salem                 1842  n                      7 

City  Charter 1842  i 

Pol.  Economy 1842  16                       8 

Pol.  Philosophy Boston                1821  17 

SCIENCE  : 

Nat.  Philosophy Boston  1821  60                      7 

Chemistry 1826  52  7 

Astronomy 1821  51  8 

Physiology Ipswich  1839  46 

Botany Boston  1826  42                       7 

Geology Northampton  1837  (?)           33  8 

Zoology Waltham  1849  18 

Nat.  History Boston  1833  20 

Mineralogy Northampton  (?)  1837  (?)  6 

Meteorology Springfield  1852  4 

Mechanics Boston  1852  2 

Engineering 1852  2 

Household  Sci Springfield  1858  i 

Agricult.  Cnemistry ....  Ipswich  1845  2 

Arts  and  Sciences Boston  1823  i 

Anatomy Edgartown  1837  7 

Technology Concord  1851  i 

MORAL  SCIENCE  .' 

Moral  Philosophy Boston                 1821  36                       8 

Nat.  Theology 1823  15 

Ev.  of  Christianity 1823  8 

Ethics Cambridge             1852  3 

Butler's  Analogy Lynn                 1850  5 

MISCELLANEOUS  . 

Logic Boston                1821  22                      8 

Bookkeeping 1823  55                      7 

Intel.  Philosophy 1829  45                      8 

Drawing 1826  25 

Music Northampton           1837  19 

Book  of  Commerce Plymouth              1838  5 

Phonography Waltham               1854  i 

Needle- work Worcester              1840  i 

NOTES:  i.  Found  in  lower  schools  before  1821.  2.  Found  in  Latin 
grammar  schools  before  1821.  3.  Found  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston 
Public  Latin  School  during  Gould's  regime  (1814-1828).  Cf.  Jenks, 
Boston  Public  Latin  School,  pp.  60  ff.  4.  This  includes  the  study 
of  English  authors.  5.  The  various  parts  of  geography  and  history  cannot 
always  be  clearly  discovered  from  the  reports,  etc.  6.  Required  in  the 
common  schools  by  the  law  of  1857.  7.  Required  in  the  high  schools 
of  towns  of  five  hundred  families  by  the  law  of  1857.  8.  Required  in  the 
high  schools  of  towns  of  four  thousand  inhabitants  by  the  law  of  1857. 


84  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

In  the  preceding  table  there  are  several  points  of  interest : 

1 i )  L  Making  allowance  for  the  incompleteness  of  the  original 
data,  it  is  evident  that  the  subjects  prescribed  by  the  law  of  1857 
for  the  grammar  and  primary  schools  were  regularly  continued  in 
some  form  in  the  high  schools.    The  percentages  of  towns  in  this 
group  whose  reports  specifically  show  this  are  as  follows : 

TABLE  XXI 

Towns      Per  Cent. 

Reading 60  95 . 2 

Writing 50  79.4 

Spelling 53  84.  i 

Grammar 62  98 . 4 

Geography  (all  except  physical) 43  68 . 3 

Arithmetic 59  93 . 7 

United  States  History 39  61 . 9 

Algebra 63  100  .o 

Inasmuch  as  this  group  of  sixty-three  towns  and  cities  prob- 
ably represents  the  better  graded  high  schools  a'nd  school  systems 
in  general,  doubtless  if  all  the  original  data  were  available,  the 
percentages  above  would  be  increased. 

(2)  Of  the  subjects  required  by  law  to  be  taught  in  the  high 
schools  of  towns  of  over  five  hundred  families,  comprising  fifty-five 
of  the  sixty-three  towns  selected  for  examination  the  percentages 
found  are  as  follows : 

TABLE  XXII 

Towns      Per  Cent. 

General  History 50  79-4 

Bookkeeping 55  87.3 

Surveying 45  71  •  4 

Geometry 61  96.8 

Natural  Philosophy 60  95 . 2 

Chemistry 52  82.5 

Botany 42  66 . 7 

U.  S.  Constitution 28  44. 4 

Mass.  Constitution 1 1  *7  •  5 

Latin 63  100.0 

It  will  be  noted  here  that  general  history,  surveying,  botany, 
United  States  Constitution,  and  the  civil  polity  of  Massachusetts 
fall  rather  low  in  the  list.  Possibly  the  percentage  of  general 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861    85 

history  would  be  raised  if  we  include  a  total  of  several  special 
departments  of  history  given  separately  in  the  reports,  but  which 
if  taken  collectively  would  meet  the  requirement  of  "  general 
history."  Doubtless  the  requirement •  of  "the  civil  polity  of  this 
Commonwealth  and  of  the  United  States  "  was  met  in  a  more  or 
less  vicarious  way  in  connection  with  United  States  history,  politi- 
cal philosophy,  etc.,  as  is  the  case  in  many  of  the  schools  of  the 
present  day.  Possibly  also  surveying  might  rise  higher  in  the 
scale  if  we  were  able  to  separate  the  cases  where  "  trigonometry  " 
meant  "  trigonometry  and  its  applications,"  as  was  frequently  the 
case  earlier.  Still,  even  with  these  qualifications  it  would  appear 
that  the  legal  requirements  for  this  type  of  high  school  were  not 
by  any  means  universally  met,  especially  when  we  remember  that 
we  are  considering  here  a  selected  group  of  towns. 

(3)  Of  the  subjects  required  by  law  in  high  schools  in  towns 
of  four  thousand  inhabitants  and  over,  of  which  there  are  forty 
in  this  group  of  sixty-three  towns,  the  following  percentages  are 
found : 


TABLE  XXIII 

Towns      Per  Cent. 

Greek 55  87.3 

French 55  87.3. 

Astronomy 51  80 . 9 

Geology 33  52-4 

Rhetoric 47  74. 8 

Logic 22  34.9 

Mental  Science 45  71  -4 

Moral  Science 36  57.2 

Political  Economy 16  25 . 4 

Political  Economy  united  with  Political  Science 25  39 . 7 

These  figures  indicate  clearly  that,  even  within  the  selected  group 
and  making  all  reasonable  allowance  for  the  incompleteness  of  the 
returns,  the  subjects  required  by  the  law  of  1857  in  towns  of  \ 
four  thousand  inhabitants  and  over,  were  not  properly  attended /> 
to  in  most  schools  up  to  1861.    This  will  be  clearer  if  we  consider 
only  within  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  towns,  the  forty 


86  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

towns  in  which  schools  of  the  higher  grade  were  required.    The 
figures  are : 

TABLE  XXIV 

Towns      Per  Cent. 

Greek 39  97 . 5 

French 37  92.5 

Astronomy 36  90.0 

Geology 27  67 . 5 

Rhetoric 33  82.5 

Logic 18  45  .o 

Mental  Science 32  80 .  o 

Moral  Science 29  72.5 

Political  Economy 14  35 .  o 

Political  Economy  united  with  Political  Philosophy. ..  22  55  o 

(4)  Of  subjects  not  legally  required  to  be  taught  in  the 
public  schools  the  following  are  most  noteworthy: 

TABLE  XXV 

Towns      Per  Cent . 

Trigonometry 37  58.7 

Physical  Geography 43  68 , 3 

Physiology 46  73  .o 

Natural  History 20  31.8 

Drawing.  .-;; 25  39.7 

These  special  subjects  will  be  discussed  later  in  Chapter  VI. 
D.    Proportion  of  Students  in  Various  Subjects 

To  gain  an  idea  of  the  curriculum  of  a  school  it  is  not  sufficient 
to  get  a  list  of  the  subjects  set  down  in  the  program  of  studies 
as  subjects  offered.  The  really  vital  question  is,:  To  what  extent 
did  these  studies  actually  enter  into  the  training  of  the  pupils? 
One  phase  of  this  problem  may  be  measured  by  the  number  of 
students  actually  pursuing  the  various  subjects  of  the  curriculum. 
Unfortunately  here  again  we  must  face  the  difficulty  of  incom- 
plete returns.  No  such  data  as  are  presented  for  instance  in 
the  reports  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education  for 
the  last  decade  of  the  nineteenth  century,  are  to  be  looked  for. 
The  material  with  which  we  must  deal  is  to  be  found  only  in 
fragmentary  form,  some  towns  never  presenting  any  such  data 
in  their  reports,  others  giving  fairly  complete  records  for  a 
series  of  years,  but  most  reports  presenting  the  data  only  occasion- 
ally. Naturally  the  situation  varies  considerably  in  the  different 
towns,  the  variations  being  conditioned  by  local  considerations,  the 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861     87 

character  of  the  population,  the  location  of  the  city,  the  presence 
or  absence  of  a  well  graded  school  system,  local  traditions,  etc. 
Nevertheless  some  of  the  data  presented  in  the  following  pages 
are  of  value  in  lieu  of  more  explicit  material. 

In  the  year  1842  Horace  Mann,  then  secretary  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Board  of  Education,  carried  on  an  investigation  of  the 
high  school  curriculum  throughout  the  state.  His  report  was 
as  follows  :7 

"  During  the  last  year  I  have  obtained  returns  from  almost  every 
public  school  in  the  state,  respecting  the  number  of  scholars  who 
are  engaged  in  studies  above  the  elementary  or  statutory  course 
prescribed  for  the  lowest  grade  of  our  schools.  The  result  is  the 
following : 

TABUS  XXVI 

Scholars  studying  History  of  the  United  States 10,177 

General  History 2,571 

Algebra 2,333 

Bookkeeping 1,472 

"         Latin  Language 858 

"        Rhetoric 601 

"        Geometry 463 

Human  Physiology .«.  416 

Logic ,  330 

"        Surveying 249 

Greek  Language 183 

"  In  some  of  the  public  schools  other  branches,  such  as  botany, 
chemistry,  natural  history,  astronomy,  intellectual  philosophy,  and 
the  French  language  are  attended  to,  but  as  these  are  not 
included  in  the  statutory  course  prescribed  for  the  highest  grade 
of  schools,  I  have  not  obtained  any  particular  information  respect- 
ing them." 

In  interpreting  this  table  it  is  well  to  keep  in  mind  the  data 
presented  on  pages  64,  75,  regarding  the  subject  matter  of  the 
lower  schools. 

Out  of  a  total  of  considerably  over  five  thousand  reports 
examined,  including  the  reports  of  all  towns  claiming  to  maintain 
high  schools,  only  about  eighty-one  reports  from  about  twenty- 
five  towns  give  any  data  which  approach  definiteness  and  com- 
pleteness regarding  the  number  of  students  pursuing  the  various 
subjects.  Of  these  only  about  ten  reports  from  eight  different 

7  Report  for' 1843  (VI),  page  55. 


88  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

towns  offer  data  for  any  year  previous  to  1850,  and  of  the  total 
not  more  than  eight  towns  offer  data  on  this  subject  for  a  con- 
secutive series  of  years.  These  are  Spring-field  (1855-1861),  Mill- 
bury  (1858-1861),  Lawrence  (1850-1854),  Lowell  (1849-1851), 
Lynn  (1850,  1854-1861),  Haverhill  (1857-1861),  Gloucester 
(1855-1857),  Danvers  (1857-1860). 

TABLE  XXVII 

STUDENTS  PURSUING  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  AT  ABOUT  1840.    Two  TOWNS 

Northampton,  1837,  p.  14  Haverhill,  1842-3,  p.  5 

Subject                       Number       Per  Cent.  Number  Per  Cent. 

Students  in  school 274                 72  

Algebra 26                  9.5  14  19.5 

Geometry 10                  3.7  . .  .... 

Latin 45                 16.4  17  6.2 

Greek 27                  9.9  3  4.2 

French 9                  3.3  9  12.5 

Astronomy 56                 20 . 4  . .  .... 

History 89                32.5  26  35.1 

Natural  Philosophy 30                 10.9  7  9.7 

Bookkeeping 5                   1.9  6  8.3 

Chemistry 12                   4.4  2  2.7 

From  such  data  as  the  above  no  conclusions,  can  be  drawn 
except,  perhaps,  that  there  was  great  variation  among  the  several 
towns  in  the  proportion  of  students  pursuing  the  different  branches 
of  study  in  the  curriculum. 

A  somewhat  similar  situation  is  found  in  the  case  of  the  fol- 
lowing three  towns  at  the  period  of  1846-1847. 

TABLE  XXVIII 

STUDENTS  PURSUING  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  AT  ABOUT  1847.  THREE  TOWNS 

Worcester,                 Lowell,  Newburyport, 

1846,  p  9               1847,  p.  21  1847,  p.  51. 

Subject                    No.      PerCent.  No.      Per  Cent.  No.     Per  Cent. 

Students  in  school   ...     213  185  About  207        

Algebra 38           17 -8           33           17-9  49  23.7 

Geometry 20            9.4           13            7.0  44  21.3 

Latin 96          45.1           87           47.0  34  16.4 

Greek 15             7.0            9            4.9  17  8.2 

French 15             7.0           ..             o.o  43  20.8 

Astronomy o.o                          o.o  16  7.5 

History 70           32.9           50           27.0  126  60.9 

Bookkeeping 10             4.7           70           37-8  37  17-9 

Natural  Philosophy o.o          39           21.1  72  34.8 

Moral  Philosophy o.o           20           10.6  ..  o.o 

Pxhetoric o.o           18             9.7  o.o 

Trigonometry o.o             5             2.7  7  3.4 

Natural  History o.o          46           24.9  ..  o.o 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861    89 

The  following  figures  indicate  the  returns  for  1850  from  the 
towns  of  Ware  (1850-51,  p.  5),  Roxbury  (1850,  p.  4),  Plymouth 
(1850),  Marblehead  (1850,  p.  3),  Lowell  (1851,  p.  59),  and  Lynn 
(1850,  p.  17)  : 


TABLE  XXIX 

TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  STUDENTS  IN  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  AT  ABOUT  1850. 

Six  TOWNS 

Towns  Offering    Number         Per  Cent. 

Subject                                   Subject  Students    Base  Algebra8 

Algebra 6  192  100.0 

Geometry 5  56  30 . 8 

Latin 6  253  139.0 

Greek 4  23  13.7 

French 5  202  m.o 

Natural  Philosophy 4  315  194-4 

Chemistry 3  61  41.2 

Astronomy 2  82  78 . 8 

Physiology 5  211  141.6 

Botany i  10  10.5 

History 3  141  118.5 

Intellectual  Philosophy 3  25  21.9 

Moral  Philosophy i  90  94 . 7 

Bookkeeping 3  176  115  .o 

Rhetoric 2  47  34.1 

Natural  History i  42  44-2 


A  similar  estimate  is  summarized  below  for  the  year  1860-1861 
from  the  returns  of  the  towns  of  Springfield  (1860,  p.  62), 
Randolph  (1860,  p.  56),  Millbury  (1860,  p.  10),  Lynn  (1860, 
p.  n),  Haverhill  (1860,  p.  n),  Danvers  (1860,  p.  n), Plymouth 
(1861,  p.  16): 


8  Inasmuch  as  the  total  number  of  students  in  each  town  in  the  high 
school  is  sometimes  omitted,  algebra  has  been  adopted  here  as  a  basis  for 
estimating  the  number  of  students  in  the  various  subjects  for  purposes  of 
comparison.  In  each  case  the  percentage  has  been  reckoned  with  reference 
to  the  number  of  students  taking  algebra  in  those  schools  only  which  offer 
the  subject  in  qiiestion. 


Subject 

Algebra 

Geometry 

Surveying 

Latin 

Greek 

French 

Natural  Philosophy. . . . 

Chemistry 

Astronomy 

Geology 

Zoology 

Botany 

History 

Rhetoric 

Bookkeeping 

Physical  Geography .  .  . 
Intellectual  Philosophy 

English  Literature 

Household  Science 

Natural  Theology 

Physiology 

Moral  Science. . 


Towns  Offering   Number 
Subject 


The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

TABLE  XXX 

TOTAL  NUMBER  OP  STUDENTS  IN  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  AT  ABOUT  1860. 
SEVEN  TOWNS 

Per  Cent. 
Base  Algebra 

100.  o 
74.1 
15.0 

167.2 
19.0 
99.0 
8i-3 
50-7 
68.0 
54-8 

158.3 
61.9 

200.  o 

65-5 
55-6 
94.2 
48.7 
60.3 


Students 
259 

201 

9 

433 
32 
203 

195 
103 

121 
69 

57 

78 
388 

90 
144 


83 
47 
26 

7 

106 
116 


72.2 
28.0 
76.8 

57-1 


From  such  data  as  these  it  is  of  course  unsafe  to  draw  any  con- 
clusions as  to  the  relative  prominence  of  any  subject,  and  any 
attempt  to  generalize  from  these  data  except  in  the  broadest  way 
would  be  unjustifiable.  They  are  presented  here  only  in  the 
attempt  to  afford  the  best  data  to  be  found  in  the  reports  and  to 
indicate  some  very  general  estimates.  Even  within  individual 
towns  the  variation  from  year  to  year  was  very  great  as  is  shown 
by  the  returns  for  Springfield  presented  on  page  93. 

In  the  report  of  the  School  Committee  of  Lowell  for  the  year 
ending  December  31,  1851  (Twenty-sixth  Annual  Report, 
pp.  52 ff),  there  is  contained  an  unusually  full  and  comprehen- 
sive analysis  of  the  curriculum  of  that  city  for  the  period  1849-51. 
While  we  must  remember  that  the  data  there  given  apply  to 
that  city  only  and  cannot  in  any  way  give  us  a  view  of  the  general 
situation  at  that  time,  the  figures  are  suggestive  and  are 
the  most  complete  to  be  found.  The  most  important  portion  of 


/O 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861   91 

that  report  bearing  on  the  subject  at  present  under  discussion  is 
therefore  reproduced  below. 

"  Forty-eight  per  cent,  of  the  entire  time  devoted  to  study  in 
the  High  School  is  now  devoted  to  the  Grammar  School  studies." 
(page  55) 

"  Algebra  commands  23  per  cent,  of  the  scholars ;  Geometry 
4  per  cent. ;  Trigonometry  2  per  cent.  Not  a  male  pupil  has 
studied  Trigonometry  for  three  years.  The  highly  important 
studies  of  Intellectual  and  Moral  Science  have  not  found  a  single 
student  in  the  male  department  within  the  term  of  three  years ; 
while  the  former  has  been  pursued  by  6  per  cent,  of  the  female 
department,  and  the  latter  by  33  per  cent.  In  the  classical  depart- 
ment, for  which  a  separate  school  is  provided  in  cities  of  half 
the  population  of  Lowell,  and  which  is  here  supported  at  con- 
siderable charge  to  the  public  revenue,  an  average  of  5  per  cent, 
only  of  the  male  department,  and  none  of  the  female  department 
is  pursuing  Greek ;  while  an  average  of  37  per  cent,  of  the  entire 
school  attend  to  Latin,  19  per  cent,  of  females  study  French,  to 
none  of  the  males."  (page  60) 

TABLE  XXXI 

LOWELL  HIGH  SCHOOL 

Per  Cent,  of  the  Whole  Number  of  Scholars  in  Each  Department 

1849  1850  1851        Mean%3yrs. 

Studies                 Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 

Reading 49       100  27       100  49  100        42  100 

Spelling 51         80  42       loo  42  100        45  63 

Penmanship 67         90  54        68  70  89        60  82 

Arithmetic 84        71  84        48  64  20        77  46 

English  (Grammar) ...       34      100  12       100  21  100        33  100 

English  (Parsing) 49       •  •  •  4*       •  •  •  36       

Geography 19         18  16        34  ...  56         12  36 

History,  United  States     ...         34  ...         25  25  12          8  24 

Physiology 4         38  15         24  5  40           8  35 

Composition 100       100  98       100  72  100        90  100 

Rhetoric 12  ...         10  ...  7       ...  10 

Declamation 100       ...  98       ...  90  ...         95 

Useful  Arts 17       ...  15       ...  14  ...         15 

Natural  Philosophy.           35         18  34        30  23  8        34  19 

Natural  History 34  ...         17  8  26          3  26 

Astronomy 8  9         15  12  16           7  13 

Chemistry 8  15           7  29  15         15  10 

Botany .' 9  ...           4  ...  2       ...  5 


92  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

TABLE  XXXI— Continued 

LOWEU,  HIGH  SCHOOL 
Per  Cent,  of  the  Whole  Number  of  Scholars  in  Each  Department 

1849  1850  1851          Mean  %  3  yrs. 

Studies  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 

20 
23 
4 

2 

6 

33 
59 
39 

234 

"  This  above  table  has  been  prepared  with  care  from  the  schedules, 
printed  by  the  instructors  of  the  High  School,  at  the  end  of  each  term. 
It  includes  all  the  facts  in  the  schedules."  (Pages  59-60  of  the  report.) 

"  The  following  summary  of  the  above  table  shows  the  result 
of  classifying  the  different  studies.  The  Grammar  School  studies 
include  Reading,  Spelling,  Grammar,  Geography,  Arithmetic,  Pen- 
manship, History  of  the  United  States,  and  Physiology.  The 
Natural  Sciences  include  Natural  Philosophy,  Natural  History, 
Astronomy,  Chemistry,  and  Botany.  Other  English  Studies 
embrace  Composition,  Rhetoric,  Useful  Arts,  and  Declamation. 
Higher  Mathematics  include  Bookkeeping,  Algebra,  Geometry, 
Trigonometry." 


Algebra 

ot 
16 

f>* 

O" 
o-J 

*-d 

27 

to 
2C 

2T. 

O* 
2  1 

Geometry        

6 

8 

4" 

2 

2 

6 

Trigonometry  

Intellectual  Philosophy 
Moral  Science  

3 
40 

7 
36 

8 

JC 

... 

French  language 

2 

52 

=;8 

J 

66 

•j 

Latin  Language   

-1-7 

4.O 

16 

^2 

36 

36 

•75 

Greek  Language 

2 

6 

J 

§ 

Number  of  Scholars.  . 

169 

232 

1  60 

249 

161 

220 

163 

Classes  of  Studies       Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 

Grammar  School  Stud- 

ies           

4.O 

66 

^2 

62 

^2 

65 

7? 

64 

Natural  Sciences  

T" 

7 

15 

o 
12 

15 

o* 

15 

*J 

13 

oo 

II 

14 

Intellectual  and  Moral 

Sciences         

26 

22 

8 

19 

Other  English  Studies. 

45° 

28 

45 

28 

35 

27 

42* 

28 

Higher  Mathematics  .  . 

19 

13 

21 

13 

19 

12 

20 

13 

French  Language  

26 

22 

8 

19 

Classical  Studies  

18 

20 

21 

16 

22 

18 

20 

18 

*Large  number  caused  by  including  Declamation.  Otherwise  about  30 
per  cent. 

The  most  complete  data  regarding  the  proportion  of  students 
pursuing  the  various  subjects  are  found  in  the  case  of  the  Spring- 
field High  School  for  the  period  1855-1861.  The  percentages  are 
estimated  from  the  figures  given  in  the  reports  for  those  years  on 
the  pages  cited.  The  attendance  for  the  various  years  is  given  on 
page  38  of  the  report  for  1861. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861    93 

TABLE  XXXII 

SPRINGFIELD  HIGH  SCHOOL 

Percentage  of  Students  Pursuing  Various  Subjects 


ATTENDANCE  

i855, 
P-  37 
186 

1856, 
p.  38 

1  66 

1857, 
p.  48 
156 

l858,     1859, 

p.  66    p.  66 
172       166 

1860, 
p.  62 
173 

1861, 
p.  44 
163 

1855- 

1861 
1182 

SUBJECT 

Algebra  

40-3 

40. 

4 

26.3 

27. 

9 

32.5 

20. 

8 

55-2 

34-8 

Geometry  

31.2 

47- 

6 

40.4 

16. 

3 

33-7 

9- 

8 

14-7 

27-5 

Mensuration  

0.0 

0. 

0 

0.0 

o. 

0 

12.7 

0. 

0 

o.o 

12.7 

Latin  

38.7 

44- 

o 

47-4 

45- 

3 

44.0 

38. 

—  -*" 

2 

"28.8 

40.9 

Greek  

4-8 

5- 

4 

4-5 

2. 

9 

3-6 

o. 

6 

3-7 

3-6 

French  

25-1 

26. 

5 

28.2 

7- 

0 

6.0 

38. 

2 

3-7 

19-5 

Natural  Philosophy.  .  . 

6-5 

7- 

8 

19.2 

20. 

3 

9.0 

8. 

T~ 

47.2 

16.8 

Chemistry  

n.  3 

16. 

9 

12.8 

12. 

8 

13-3 

12. 

i 

16.0 

13-5 

Astronomy  

13-4 

30. 

7 

17.9 

2O. 

9 

12.7 

19- 

6 

21.5 

19-5 

Botany  

8.1 

12 

o 

14-7 

12. 

8 

13-3 

9- 

2 

o.o 

ii.  6 

Geology  

5-4 

6. 

6 

n-5 

8. 

i 

16-3 

8. 

I 

13-5 

9-9 

Zoology  

o.o 

o. 

o 

o.o 

0. 

0 

9.6 

33- 

0 

9-2 

17-3 

Household  Science.  .  .  . 

0.0 

0. 

0 

0.0 

21. 

5 

12.7 

15- 

O 

13.5 

15-7 

Meteorology  

42.5 

10. 

8 

12  .2 

O. 

o 

o.o 

o. 

o 

0.0 

22.8 

Physiology  

35-4 

o. 

o 

O.O 

23- 

8 

10.8 

22. 

0 

22.7 

23-3 

Physical  Geography.  .  . 

0.0 

38. 

6 

12.2 

16. 

9 

11.4 

II  . 

6 

17.2 

18.0 

Bookkeeping  

ii.  8 

7- 

8 

14.7 

20. 

9 

9.6 

II. 

6 

20.9 

13-9 

Rhetoric  

5-4 

15- 

i 

12.2 

30. 

2 

17-5 

20. 

2 

22.  I 

17-5 

English  Literature.  .  .  . 

0.0 

7- 

2 

12.2 

9- 

3 

13-3 

16. 

8 

10.4 

n-5 

English  Grammar  .... 

21.0 

13- 

9 

17.9 

23- 

2 

39-2 

36. 

4 

17.2 

24-3 

Intellectual  Philosophy 

6.5 

7- 

8 

9-0 

19. 

8 

10.2 

14. 

4 

8.0 

10.8 

Moral  Philosophy  .... 

0.0 

14- 

5 

0.0 

9- 

9 

15-7 

21. 

4 

10.4 

14.4 

History  (All)»  

62  .9 

70. 

5 

70.5 

51- 

2 

67.5 

74.o(ios.5)9 

(7i-4)9 

U.  S.  Constitution  

8.1 

0. 

0 

0.0 

0. 

0 

0.0 

o. 

o 

o.o 

8.1 

Natural  Theology  .... 

0.0 

o. 

0 

12.2 

10. 

5 

0.0 

0. 

0 

0.0 

n-3 

Arithmetic  

53.8 

30. 

i 

69.2 

48. 

3 

38.6 

0 

0 

49.1 

48.1 

Geography  

21.5 

20. 

5 

31-4 

34- 

3 

9.6 

36. 

4, 

25-8 

25-5 

From  an  examination  of  such  fragmentary  data  as  are  avail- 
able, of  which  examples  have  been  given  on  the  preceding  pages, 
none  but  the  most  general,  and,  in  some  cases,  negative  conclusions 
can  be  drawn.  From  the  early  period  previous  to  1850  too  little 
material  apparently  exists  to  warrant  any  conclusions  which  would 
apply  to  any  but  particular  towns.  For  the  subsequent  period 
such  data  as  are  given  in  tables  XXVII-XXXII,  show  the  great 
variation  which  existed  between  towns  at  the  same  period.  Tables 

9  It  is  impossible  to  analyze  the  double  registration  which  obviously  is 
involved  here. 


94  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

XXIX-XXX  show  us  that  there  was  no  .close  relation  between 
the  proportion  of  students  in  any  subject  in  1850  and  1860.  The 
returns  of  the  Lowell  High  School  for  1849-1851  and  of  the 
Springfield  High  School  for  1855-1861  indicate  clearly  that  even 
within  any  given  town  there  was  a  great  variation  from  year  to 
year  in  the  proportion  of  students  in  the  different  subjects. 

All  we  can  say  on  this  topic  is  that  certain  subjects  with 
a  fair  degree  of  constancy  attracted  a  relatively  high  number  of 
students  and  others  a  relatively  low  number.  Ignoring  subjects 
which  apparently  had  special  vogue  in  particular  towns  or  at 
particular  periods  and  subjects  which  belonged  more  properly  to 
the  elementary  school,  we  may  say  that  algebra,  geometry,  Latin, 
French,  natural  philosophy,  and  English  studies  attracted  the 
greater  number  of  students.  In  this  connection,  however,  we 
should  keep  in  mind  the  relative  position  of  subjects  with  regard 
to  the  year  in  which  they  were  studied,  and,  in  such  cases  as 
Latin  and  French,  the  fact  that  more  than  one  year  was  spent  on 
them. 

E.    Position  of  Subjects  in  the  Curriculum 

The  following  table  indicates  the  position  which  the  various 
subjects  occupied  in  the  curriculum.  The  figures  here  given  are 
compiled  from  the  reports  of  ^selected^oup^  of  forty-two  towns. 
The  reports  chosen  are  those  which  cover  the  period  as  near  as 
possible  to  1860.  Of  these  towns  twenty  offered  a  three  years, 
seventeen  a  four  years  course,  one  a  five  years  course,10  one 
an  eight  class  course,  which  probably  was  equivalent  to  four  years, 
and  three  offered  a  three  years  English  course  and  a  four  years 
classical  course. 

TABLE  XXXIII 
YEARS  IN  WHICH  SUBJECTS  WERE  OFFERED 


Subject 
Arithmetic          

Towns 
considered 
32 

ISt 

year 
30 

2d 
year 

i 

3d 
year 

0 

4th 
year 

2 

5th 
year 

0 

Algebra                     

42 

29 

24 

7 

i 

0 

Geometry        

41 

2 

30 

21 

3 

0 

Trigonometry     

10 

o 

2 

16 

3 

0 

28 

0 

3 

17 

9 

0 

Latin     .        

40 

31 

4° 

40 

20 

i 

Greek.  . 

34. 

5 

27 

34 

16 

i 

10  Nantucket,  1855,  page  17.    Course  but  not  adopted. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861    95 

TABLE  XXXIII— Continued 

YEARS  IN  WHICH  SUBJECTS  WERE  OFFERED 

Towns  ist  2d  3d  4th  5th 

Subject                         considered  year  year  year  year     year 

French 34  12  28  31  15  i 

Natural  Philosophy 41  14  27  9  2  o 

Chemistry 34  o  13  21  6  o 

Astronomy 39  o  7  28  6  o 

Botany 30  2  6  15  12  o 

Geology 22  o  2  12  8  o 

Zoology 8  i  3  3  2  o 

Natural  History 12  3  3  4  2  o 

Physiology 31  14  9  10  3  o 

Physical  Geography 27  12  6  7  4  o 

History,  United  States 21  zo  5  4  4  o 

General 31  14  15  8  3  o 

Ancient 15  6  3  4  3  o 

Mental  Philosophy 31  o  3  15  16  i 

Moral  Philosophy 24  o  3  14  7  o 

Bookkeeping 29  9  13  9  3  o 

Rhetoric 29  4  12  10  7  i 

Logic 13  o  i  4  7  i 

Political  Economy 13  o  i  6  5  i 

Geography 19  16  3  i  i  o 

English  Grammar 39  39  22  13  6  o 

English  Literature 18  6  10  16  10  o 

It  may  be  seen  from  the  above  figures  that,  while  there  is  con- 
siderable fluctuation,  the  various  subjects  tend  to  group  them- 
selves in  certain  years.  A  composite  of  these  figures  will  enable 
us  to  reconstruct  a  general  program  which  will  in  some  degree 
represent  conditions  for  the  period  about  1860. 

First  Year 

Review  of  grammar  school  studies  —  arithmetic,  geography, 
grammar,  writing,  etc.  Regularly  algebra  and  Latin.  Sometimes 
French,  natural  philosophy,  physiology,  physical  geography, 
history. 

Second  Year 

Regularly  algebra,  geometry,  Latin,  Greek,  natural  philosophy, 
English  grammar.  Commonly  chemistry,  English  literature, 
history,  bookkeeping,  rhetoric. 

Third  Year 

Regularly  Latin,  Greek,  French,  chemistry,  astronomy.  The 
following,  when  they  occurred  at  all,  were  commonly  found  in  the 
third  year  except  that  in  four  year  courses  some  were  carried 
over  to  the  last,  year:  trigonometry,  surveying,  botany,  geology, 
physiology,  mental  philosophy,  moral  philosophy,  logic. 


g6  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Fourth  Year 

Regularly  Latin,  Greek,  French.  Frequently  botany,  mental 
philosophy,  surveying. 

Declamation,  composition,  penmanship,  etc.,  were  commonly 
taught  during  the  entire  course  in  some  form  or  other. 

F.     Gradation  in  the  High  Schools 

The  gradation  of  the  studies  of  the  secondary  school  in  Massa- 
chusetts into  a  course  schedule  was  to  be  found  in  the  Latin 
grammer  school  previous  to  the  beginning  of  the  high  school 
movement.  E.  g.,  The  Boston  Public  Latin  School  in  1773  had  a 
course  of  study  which  was  divided  into  seven  classes.1 4  Previous 
to  the  headmastership  of  Gould  (1814-1828)  the  course  was  one  of 
four  years  and  some  time  during  his  regime  a  five-class  course  was 
instituted.  Likewise  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of 
Boston  at  its  beginning  in  1821  was  graded  into  three  classes  and 
the  High  School  for  Girls  of  the  same  city  had  a  course  of  three 
classes  during  its  brief  existence. 

Such  a  development  was  to  be  expected  in  the  large  cities 
where  the  enrollment  made  this  possible  and  desirable.  In  th? 
smaller  towns  grading  was  not  so  easy  or  altogether  desirable. 
Nevertheless  the  character  of  the  work  of  the  high  school  demand- 
ing as  it  did  the  teaching  of  several  subjects  more  or  less 
sequential,  as  language  study  and  mathematics,  soon  caused  the 
practice  of  grading  to  become  the  common  thing,  and,  in  fact 
almost  a  characteristic  of  high  schools.  Thus  by  1850  it  became"! 
common  to  find  the  high  school  course  divided  into  three  / 
or  four  classes  covering  a  period  of  three  or  four  years./ 
"  As  to  the  length  of  the  High  School,  and  other  arrangements,  f 
they  are  usually  divided  into  three  classes  and  extending  to  three- 
years,  one  year  embracing  a  class."  12  "  There  are  two  modes 
in  which  a  High  School  may  be  organized  and  conducted.  One 
is,  that  of  an  exact  and  prescribed  course  of  study,  limited  to  a 
term  of  three,  four,  or  five  years,  (generally  three)  with  annual 
admission,  and  a  corresponding  course  of  study  for  each  year. 
The  other  is  no  prescribed  course  of  study;  but  in  its  place  an 
authorized  list  of  studies,  left  to  the  option  of  the  pupil  with  entire 
freedom  of  admission  or  absence  each  term.  The  former  is  now 
adopted  by  every  other  important  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

ujenks,  Henry  F.,  Boston  Public  Latin  School,  page  36. 
12  Manchester  report  for  1849,  Ms. 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861   97 


including  that  of  Lawrence.  Lowell  is  left  almost  in  the  exclusive 
advocacy  of  the  latter."13  "In  most  High  Schools  the  course 
is  protracted  to  three  years ;  in  some  to  four  years."  14  "  The 
time  seems  to  have  arrived,  when  a  course  of  studies  should  be 
prescribed  for  the  several  terms,  extending  through  two  or  three 
years  for  its  completion.  This  method  is  now  pursued  in  all  the 
schools  of  this  grade,  of  which  we  possess  any  adequate  informa- 
tion .  .  .  ."  15 

The  tendency  toward  the  close  of  the  period  under  con- 
sideration in  this  discussion  was  for  the  high  school  to  offer  a 
course  of  four  years  instead  of  the  three  year  course  which 
developed  up  to  about  1850.  This  is  clearly  shown  in  the  follow- 
ing table  which  indicates  the  towns  introducing  a  three  year 
course  or  longer  previous  to  1861.  The  figures  merely  indicate 
the  earliest  date  found  where  the  statement  is  made  in  the  report 
or  where  the  actual  course  of  studies  is  given. 

TABLE  XXXIV 
FIRST  MENTION  OF  GRADED  COURSE  IN  REPORTS,  ETC. 


High  School 

Town 

Established 

3  years 

Amherst  

1861  (1852) 

1861-2,  12 

Bedford  

1852 

i8.58,35(?) 

Beverly  

i859 

1859,  5 

Boston  — 

Latin  Grammar  School 

1635 

English  High  School  .  . 

1821 

1821 

Girls'  High  School  

1826 

1826 

Brighton  

1841 

1847-8,  8 

Brookline  

1843 

1850,  ii 

Cambridge  — 

English  Department  .  . 

1849  (1838) 

1849 

Classical  Department.  . 

1849 

Charlestown  

1848 

1851,  ii 

Chelsea  

1846 

1848,  17 

Chicopee  

1849 

Clinton  

1863  (1850) 

1857,  8  (?) 

Concord  

1851 

1851-2,3 

Danvers  

1850 

i855,5 

Dedham  

1851 

1854,  13 

Dorchester  

1852 

Edgartown  

1854 

Fairhaven  

1852 

Fall  River  

1849 

Fitchburg  

1849 

1856,  ii 

Framingham  

1851 

Gloucester  

1839 

4  years 


5  years 


1814  "        1814-1852 


1856-7,  16 

1854,  17 
1849,  1857  < 

1855, 14 
1855-6,  10 
1854,  18  ' 


1861,  14 
1856-7,  i  ' 


1859-60,  17  (?) 
1857,  ii  ' 


1854, 17 


13  Lowell  report  for  1851,  page  52. 
14Stoneham  report  for  1855-6,  page   13. 
15Wayland  report  for  1854-5,  page  i. 


The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 


TABLE  XXXIV— Continued 
FIRST  MENTION  OP  GRADED  COURSE  IN  REPORTS,  ETC. 

High  School 

Town                       Established         3  years  4  years            5  years 

Greenfield 1854              1861, 5 

Haverhill 1841 

Holliston 1856            1856-7,  13 

Ipswich 1636  (?)          1855,  Ms. 

Lawrence — 

English  Department .  1849              1857, 69 

Classical  Department..  1849                                     1857, 69 ' 

Lee 1851                                  1854-5,  15- 

Lexington 1854             1860-1,7 

Lowell — 

English  Department ..  1831              1832,8 

Classical  Department..  1831               1852,8             1832,8 

1859,  36 

Lynn 1849             1853,11 

Maiden 1857                                   1857-8,  14 ' 

Manchester 1848             1855,  Ms.        1858-9,11 

Marblehead 1851(1847)        1853,21 

Medford 1835                                  1842-3,  Ms.  (?) 

Milford 1850                                   1860-1,30" 

Nantucket 1838  (?)            1857,  9           1853-4,  4           1855,  17 

Natick 1852               1856-7 

New  Bedford 1837  (1827)       1839,  Ms.         1851,  24 

Newburyport — 

Boys' Classical -1864                                      1855,7 

Boys'  High 1850                                      1855,  7 ' 

Female  High 1843             1844-5, 9         1850-1, 6 

Newton 1853  (1859)                            1860-1,  46*' 

Northampton — 

Boys' 1835         Cf.  1846-7,  pp.  3  ff. 

Girls' 1837 

Plymouth 1849  1857,  52  - 

Pittsfield 1850          1852-3,  12  ff. 

Randolph 1859              1860,  56 

Roxbury — 

Latin  Grammar  School  1645 

English  High,  Boys. . .  1852               1854, 9 

English  High,  Girls. . .  1854             1857,  19 
Salem — 

Latin  Grammar  School  1637                                      1854,  7  •> 

English  High,  Boys. . .  1827              1830,  4 

English  High,  Girls. . .  1845              1854,  14 

Somerville 1852               1853 

South  Danvers 1855         (Split  off  from  Danvers,  which  see.) 

South  Reading 1845           1859-60,  14 

Springfield 1849              1856,  38 

Stoneham 1854  (1847)      1859-60,  5        1856-7,  10 

Taunton 1849                                     1866-7,  n ' 

Waltham 1849             1856-7,7 

Watertown 1853             1853-4, 4         1855-6, 9 

Wayland 1854             1854-5,3 

Westfield 1855        Regular  course  of  study  1856-7,  24. 

Winchester 1850           1850-1,  15        1859,  app. 

Woburn 1852            1854-5, 64       1855-6,  19 

Worcester — 

English  Department ..  1828-9            1845,14 

Classical  Department .  ?                 1858, 30          1845,  14 

1861,35' 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861   99 

G.     Separate  Courses 

In  some  towns  we  find  the  high  school  work  split  up  into 
separate  courses.  Inasmuch  as  this  separation  sometimes  involved 
a  differentiation  in  subject  matter  and  arrangement  in  the  curric- 
ulum it  merits  a  few  words  of  comment.  In  the  differentiation 
of  the  curriculum  we  find  the  following  forms : 

(1)  In  some  towns  separate  ...schools  were  maintained  for  the 
teaching  of  an  English  or  general  course  and  the  classical  course 
designed  to  fit  boys  for  college.    Such  was  the  case  at  some  period 
in  each  of  the  following  towns :    Boston,  Cambridge,  Gloucester, 
Ipswich,   Newburyport,   Roxbury,   Salem,   Worcester.     In  most 
of  these  towns  reorganization  and  union  had  taken  place  by  about 
1850. 

(2)  Separate  departments,  specifically  so  termed,  were  to  be 
found  in   the   following  towns   at  varying  periods:      Brighton, 
Charlestown,  Chelsea,  Dedham,  Cambridge,  Gloucester,  Ipswich, 
Lawrence,  Lowell,  Lynn,  Maiden,  Marblehead,  Milford,  Newbury- 
port,  Newton,   Plymouth,   Salem,    Springfield,   Stoneham,   West 
Roxbury,  Winchester,  Woburn,  Worcester. 

(3)  Separate  schools  for  boys  and  girls  were  to  be  found  in 
the  following  towns:     Boston,  Gloucester,  Manchester,  Marble- 
head,   Newburyport,   Northampton,   Plymouth,  Roxbury,   Salem, 
Springfield,  Worcester.    Nearly  all  of  these  had  united  before  the 
close  of  the  period  here  considered. 

(4)  Male  and  female  departments  were  to  be  found  in  several 
towns :    e.  g.,  Brighton,  Gloucester,  Haverhill,  Lowell,  Newbury- 
port, Northampton,  Salem,  etc. 

That  these  separate  schools  and  departments  should  have  existed 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  Previous  to  1821  the  secondary  educa- 
tion in  public  schools  was  almost  exclusively  classical  and  con- 
fined to  the  education  of  boys.  When  the  new  type  of  education 
originated  it  was  first  designed  for  a  different  group  of  students, 
those  not  preparing  for  college.  The  older  type  of  school  was 
already  firmly  established  and  in  many  cases  any  attempt  to  graft 
the  new  system  of  higher  education  on  the  older  in  the  same 
schools  would  possibly  have  meant  the  subordination  of  the  newer 
type  in  an  even  greater  degree  than  was  the  case.  The  newer 
schools  were  first  established  in  the  larger  cities  where  opportunity 
was  offered,  for  the  maintenance  of  separate  schools.  Thus  in 


ioo          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Boston  easy  opportunity  was  offered  for  the  separate  establish- 
ment of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School. 
I     The  higher  education  of  girls  was  also  a  new  venture  for  public 
[schools.    Hence  we  find  that  in  the  earlier  period  separate  schools 
'  or  at  least  separate  departments  were  established  for  girls.     The 
first  of  this  type  was  the  High  School  for  Girls  in  Boston,  which 
however,  was  soon  suspended  after  two  years  of  trial  not  to  be 
re-established  for  some  twenty-four  years.  In  the  meantime  several 
towns  had  established  high  schools  for  girls  as  indicated  in  the 
above  data. 

An  examination  of  the  data  given  in  the  reports  clearly  shows 
that  the  consolidation  of  the  various  separate  schools  was  well 
under  way  by  the  close  of  the  period  under  consideration  in  this 
book.  Nevertheless  the  tendency  thus  early  established  continued 
to  have  its  effect  on  the  curriculum,  an  effect  which  has  not  entirely 
disappeared  up  to  the  present  time. 

An  examination  of  the  curricula  of  the  various  towns  of  Massa- 
chusetts shows  in  some  cases  that  this  differentiation  in  the 
curricula  is  not  one  of  form  only.  The  classical  course  tended  to 
be  longer  than  the  English  course,  and  the  course  for  boys  was 
frequently  longer  than  that  for  girls. 

The  classical  course,  whether  given  in  a  separate  school,  or  in  a 
separate  department,  because  of  its  nature  and  its  previous  organ- 
ization in  the  Latin  grammar  school,  and  because  of  its  purpose 
as  preparatory  for  college,  early  assumed  and  constantly  main- 
tained a  comparatively  stable  form.  In  general  it  extended  ovei 
a  period  of  four  years  and  where  the  general  or  English  cours( 
coders  a  period  of  three  years  only,  a  /ourth  year  or  more  waj 
frequently  assigned  for  the  classical  course,  e.  g.,  Boston,  Cam- 
bridge (1851,  p.  19),  Dedham  (1861,  p.  14),  Lowell  (1852,  p.  8ff), 
Lawrence  ( 1858,  p.  73  ff.)  Even  where  the  English  course  covered 
a  period  of  four  years  an  additional  year  was  sometimes  devoted  { 
to  the  classical  course,  e.  g.,  Cambridge  (1854,  p.  17). 

The  program  of  the  classical  course  was,  of  course,  adapted  to 
meet  the  entrance  requirements  of  the  New  England  colleges, 
especially  Harvard  University.  The  connection  between  the  high 
schools  and  the  colleges  has  been  discussed  in  Chapter  IV,  pages 
65-70.  Likewise  the  discussion  of  the  special  subjects  of  the 
curriculum,  will  be  deferred  to  Chapter  VI.  The  following 


Curriculum  of  Massachusetts  High  Schools  Previous  1861   101 

program  of  the  classical  course  of  Woburn  (1859-59,  p.  24),  will 
give  a  general  idea  of  the  classical  course  of  the  Massachusetts 
high  school.  All  of  the  essential  elements  are  included  here, 
and  some  unnecessary  studies  are  admitted.  Of  course  the  amount 
of  extra  studies  varied  in  the  various  towns. 

CLASSICAL  DEPARTMENT 

First  Year 

ist  Term:  Latin  Grammar  and  Lessons,  Algebra,  Physiology, 
Reading,  Themes,  Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

2d  Term:  Latin  Grammar  and  Lessons,  Algebra,  Physiology, 
Reading,  Themes,  Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

3d  Term:  Latin  Grammar  and  Lessons,  Algebra,  Physical 
Geography,  Reading,  Themes,  Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

Second  Year 

ist  Term :  Caesar,  Latin  Exercises,  Algebra,  Reading,  Themes, 
Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

2d  Term:  Caesar,  Latin  Exercises,  Bookkeeping,  Themes, 
Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

3d  Term :  Caesar,  Latin  Exercises,  Geometry,  Reading, 
Themes,  Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

Third  Year 

ist  Term:  Virgil,  Greek  Lessons,  Greek  Grammar,  Geometry, 
Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

2dTerm:  Virgil,  Greek  Lessons,  Greek  Grammar,  Geometry, 
Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

3d  Term:  Xenophon's  Anabasis,  Greek  Grammar,  Geometry, 
Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

Fourth  Year 

ist  Term:  Cicero,  Greek  Exercises,  Xenophon's  Anabasis, 
Miscellaneous  Exercises. 

2d  Term :  Cicero,  Greek  Exercises,  Homer's  Iliad,  Miscel- 
laneous Exercises. 

3d  Term :  Ancient  History,  Ancient  Geography,  Miscellaneous. 
Review. 

That  the  classical  course  was  more  extensive  in  some  towns 
and  less  so  in  others  than  the  above  program  would  indicate  goes 
without  saying,  but  all  of  the  essential  elements  are  here  shown. 

The  English  or  general  course  of  study  together  with  the  various 
elements  which  entered  into  it  have  been  outlined  in  general  in 
the  data  presented  on  pages  81-96,  and  by  implication  in  dealing 
with  the  classical  course.  No  very  specific  data  can  be  given  in 


102  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

dealing  with  a  matter  which  involves  so  many  elements.    However 
a  few  points  deserve  comment : 

(1)  The  presence  of  Latin  in  the  English  course  of  study: 
In  the  cases  where  separate  departments  are  specifically  outlined 
in  the  reports,  etc.,  it  is  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception  to  find 
Latin  in  the  English  course  of  study.     In  Boston  Latin  was  not 
introduced  into  the  curriculum  of  the  English  High  School  until 
1876,  but  in  many  schools  Latin  formed  a  part  of  the  course  of 
study  in  the  English  department.     For  instance,  see  the  reports 
of  Cambridge  (1849),  Charlestown  (1855,  p.  14),  Chelsea  (1855, 
p.  28).    Doubtless  the  practice  of  including  Latin  in  the  English 
course  of  study  was  due  as  much  as  anything  to  the  prestige  of  a 
study  which  for  centuries  had  been  the  back-bone  of  secondary 
education. 

(2)  While  the  classical  course  was  comparatively  fixed  and 
uniform,  the  English  course  was  more  or  less  elastic,  commonly 
offering   opportunity   for   some   election   in   the  matter   of   sub- 
jects.    This   found  occasion  in  two   opposite  directions,  in  the 
smaller  and  poorly  graded  systems  because  of  the  lack  of  fixed  and 
uniform  courses,  and  in  the  larger  and  better  graded  systems  be- 
cause of  the  possibility  offered  by  a  greater  number  of  subjects  and 
teachers,  which  rendered  division  possible. 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  CURRICULUM  — SPECIAL  SUBJECTS 

To  gain  a  proper  idea  of  the  work  of  the  high  schools  of  Massa- 
chusetts during  the  period1  of  its  early  development  it  is  necessary 
to  know  something  of  the  amount  and  character  of  the  various 
subjects  which  were  to  be  found  in  the  curriculum.  The  curricu- 
lum in  general  has  been  considered  in  Chapter  V.  The  present 
chapter  will  take  up  the  various  subjects  which  were  to  be  found 
in  that  curriculum  and  attempt  to  analyze  somewhat  the  work 
done  in  the  individual  subjects.  The  easiest  way  to  estimate 
the  character  and  extent  of  the  work  done  in  the  several 
subjects  is  to  examine  some  of  the  text-books  employed.  Hence  a 
list  of  the  books  which  were  specifically  mentioned  in  the  reports 
is  appended  to  the  discussion  of  each  subject.  Doubtless  other 
books  which  are  not  mentioned  by  name  in  the  reports  were  used 
but  the  lists  are  sufficiently  large  to  indicate  clearly  the  scope  and 
character  of  the  teaching  in  the  various  subjects.  Such  subjects 
as  arithmetic,  geography  (except  physical  geography),  etc.,  which 
were  properly  studies  belonging  to  the  elementary  schools  but 
which  were  commonly  continued  or  reviewed  in  the  early  years  of 
the  high  school  course,  are  not  considered  in  the  following  dis- 
cussion. The  extent  to  which  they  found  a  place  in  the  high  school 
program  may  be  seen  from  the  data  presented  in  Tables  XX-XXI.1 

i.    LATIN 

The  history  of  the  teaching  of  Latin  and  Greek  in  the  secondary 
schools  of  Massachusetts  carries  us  back  to  the  beginning  of  that 
branch  of  instruction  in  the  state.     The  earliest  law  affecting! 
secondary  education  in  Massachusetts  established  the  Latin  gram- 1 
mar  school  whose  curriculum  was  a  purely  classical  one.     Froml 
the  time  of  the  founding  of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School  in 

1  Cf.  pp.  8^-84. 

103 


104  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

1635  throughout  the  colonial  period  little  was  taught  in  the 
secondary  schools  of  the  state  except  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages.2 During  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century  some 
mathematics  was  introduced  into  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston 
Public  Latin  School  3  but  the  first  step  toward  the  breaking  down 
of  the  complete  domination  of  the  classics  in  the  public  secondary 
schools  of  the  state  was  the  establishment  of  the  English  Classical 
(High)  School  of  Boston  in  1821.*  The  second  important  step 
was  the  provision  made  by  the  statute  of  1827  for  the  establishment 
of  the  new  non-classical  type  of  public  secondary  school.5  By  that 
same  law,  however,  provision  was  still  made  for  classical  studies 
in  the  high  schools  of  towns  containing  four  thousand  inhabitants 
or  over. 

The  legal  status  of  Latin  in  the  high  school  curriculum  has  been 
outlined  in  Table  XVII.6  It  may  be  summarized  here  for  refer- 
ence: 

1647-1789  required  in  all  towns  of  100  families  or  over. 
1787-1827        "  200        " 

1827-1857        "  "         4000  inhabitants  or  over. 

l857 "  "         500  families  or  over. 

Notwithstanding  the  law  of  1827,  so  great  was  the  prestige  of 
Latin  as  a  subject  for  high  school  study,  that,  even  when  relieved 
of  the  legal  obligation,  many  towns  not  required  by  law  to  do  so 
continued  to  offer  the  subject  in  the  high  school  or  even  in  the  lower 
school  curriculum.7  The  reasons  for  this  are  not  far  to  be  sought : 
i.  The  prestige  of  the  subject  as  intimated  above;  2.  The  college 
admission  requirements ; 8  3.  Scholastic  inertia ;  4.  The  machinery  > 
of  school  usage,  the  preparation  of  the  available  teachers,  the  exist-  . 
ence  of  a  well  established  method,  presence  of  workable  text-books 
— all  these  were  factors  which  tended  to  conserve  the  subject  as 
one  of  the  chief  studies  for  higher  schools. 

If  we  can  place  any  reliance  on  the  returns  given  in  the  Abstract 


2Cf.  p.  5. 

3  Cf.  p.  6. 

4  Cf.  pp.  15-18. 

5  Cf.  pp.  27-30. 
eCf.  p.  72. 
7Cf.  p.  75- 
8Cf.  pp.  65  ff 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  105 

of  Massachusetts  School  Returns  compiled  in  Table  XVIII,9  we 
may  find  corroborative  evidence  of  the  disappearance  of  the 
Latin  grammar  school  suggested  on  pages  4-5  of  this  discussion. 
According  to  those  returns  in  1834  but  three  towns  in  the  state 
claimed  to  offer  Latin  in  their  schools.  In  1839-40  the  number 
had  risen  to  twenty-one;  in  1840-41  there  were  but  sixteen  towns 
claiming  to  offer  Latin  in  their  schools.  At  the  last  date  there 
were  about  eighteen  high  schools  in  the  state.10 

With  the  increase  of  the  number  of  high  schools  in  the  state  the 
study  of  Latin  was  again  restored  to  its  former  position  of  prom- 
inence in  secondary  education,  though  it  had  been  forced  to  share 
its  prestige  with  other  subjects.  In  1 860-61  all  of  the  towns  con- 
sidered in  the  group  in  Table  XX  1X  contained  Latin  as  one  of  the 
subjects  taught  in  their  high  schools  and  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  subject  was  to  be  found  in  the  curriculum  of  every  high 
school  in  the  state.  The  data  given  in  Tables  XXVII-XXXII 12 
showing  the  number  of  students  pursuing  the  study  of  Latin  in 
the  high  schools  of  various  towns  indicate  clearly  that  Latin  was 
one  of  the  most  extensively  pursued  subjects  in  the  high  school 
curriculum  at  all  periods.  Probably  no  single  subject  could  be 
considered  as  competing  with  it  as  a  purely  high  school  subject. 

In  1842  according  to  the  figures  compiled  by  Horace  Mann  858 
pupils  were  engaged  in  the  study  of  the  Latin  language.13  This 
number  was  exceeded  by  history,  algebra,  and  bookkeeping,  but 
these  subjects  were  frequently  taught  in  the  elementary  schools  at 
that  time.14 

The  study  of  Latin  was  commonly  begun  in  the  first,  or  at  the 
latest,  in  the  second  year  of  the  high  school  course,  and  was 
pursued  throughout  the  remainder  of  that  course.  The  first  year 
was,  of  course,  devoted  to  some  beginning  book  of  the  type  men- 
tioned below.  The  course  commonly  ended  either  with  Cicero's 
Orations  or  with  Vergil's  Aeneid.  During  the  intervening  years 
Caesar's  Commentaries  were  commonly  read,  but  sometimes  Viri 
Romae,  Nepos,  or  Sallust  replaced  Caesar  or  were  read  in  addition 
to  it.  On  this  see  the  following  pages. 

«Cf.  p.  75. 

10  Cf.  p.  75- 

11  Cf.  pp.  82-83. 
»Cf.  pp.  88-93. 

*Cf.  p.  87.      '  S 

14  Cf.  p.  75- 


io6  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

LATIN  AUTHORS  READ 

Caesar:  The  Commentaries ;  almost  universally  read,  position 
commonly  in  the  second  year  of  the  course.  Frequently  Viri 
Romae  or  Nepos  replaced  it.  Cf.  these  below.  Rarely  Caesar  was 
taught  toward  the  end  of  the  course:  e.  g.,  Newburyport  (1859, 
p.  19),  (1860,  p.  12),  Salem  (1859,  p.  40).  The  entire  De  Bello 
Gallico  was  read  in  Gloucester  (1860,  p.  12). 

Cicero:  Orations,;  the  Orations  against  Catiline  were  com- 
monly read.  Less  frequent  mention  is  made  of  the  Oration  for 
Archias  (Plymouth,  1860,  page  13),  and  of  the  Oration  on  the 
Manilian  Law  (Beverly  1860,  page  7).  The  position  of  Cicero 
in  the  curriculum  was  either  the  last  year  or  the  next  to  the  last. 
On  this  see  below.  De  Officiis  :  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826, 
p.  7).  De  Amicitia:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7)  and 
Northampton  (1860-1,  p.  20).  De  Senectute:  Mentioned  only  for 
Boston  (1826,  p.  7)  and  Northampton  (1860-1,  p.  20). 

Vergil:  Aeneid:  Commonly  read.  Position  regularly  in  the 
last  or  next  to  the  last  year,  where  it  disputed  with  Cicero  for 
position.  On  this  see  Cicero  and  below.  Where  amount  is  indi- 
cated it  is  commonly  the  first  six  books.  Eclogues:  Mentioned 
only  for  Cambridge  (1853,  B.  p,  39),  Northampton  (1860-61, 
p.  20),  Newton  (1860-1,  p.  47),  Charlestown  (Catalogue  of 
Teachers  and  Pupils,  1855,  p.  14),  Plymouth  (1860,  p.  13). 
Bucolics :  Same  as  for  the  Eclogues.  Cf .  above. 

Ovid:  Metamorphoses:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826, 
p.  7),  Cambridge  (Regulations  1851,  p.  19),  Newburyport  (1859, 
p.  19),  Salem  (1847,  P-  28),  Worcester  (1845,  P-  I4)« 

Nepos:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7),  Fairhaven 
(1854-5,  p.  7),  Cambridge  (Bradbury,  for  1849,  P-  31)*  Green- 
field (1861,  p.  5),  Roxbury  (1858,  chap.  V),  Salem  (1845-6,  p. 
26),  Milford  (1856,  p.  14),  Taunton  (1860-1,  p.  44),  Winchendon 
(1857-8,  p.  22),  Winchester  (1850-1,  p.  15),  Worcester  (1856, 
p.  20). 

Sallust:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7),  Lowell  (1847, 
p.  25),  Chelsea  (1848,  p.  17),  Lowell  (1832,  p.  7),  Holliston 
(1856-6,  p.  13),  Ipswich  (1845-6,  p.  5),  Milford  (1856,  p.  14), 
Newburyport  (1855,  p.  13),  Northampton  (1860-1,  p.  20),  Ply- 
mouth (1857,  p.  52),  Rockport  (1856-7,  p.  13),  Springfield  (1856, 
p.  38),  Stoneham  (1856-7,  p.  n),  Watertown  (1853-4,  p.  4), 
Winchendon  (1857-8,  p.  22),  Winchester  (1859,  App.),  Woburn 
(1855-6,  p.  20),  Worcester  (1845,  14). 

Viri  Romae:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7),  Chelsea 
(1848,  p.  17),  Lowell  (1840-1,  p.  63),  Milford  (1856,  p.  14),  Pitts- 
field  (1853,  p.  12),  Plymouth  (1857,  p.  52),  Salem  (1854,  p.  13), 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  107 

Stoneham  (1856-7,  p.  n),  Taunton  (1860-1,  p.  44),  Waltham 
(1856-7,  p.  8),  Watertown  (1853-4,  p.  4),  Winchendon  (1857-8, 
p.  22),  Winchester  (1859,  App.),  Woburn  (1855-6,  p.  20),  Wor- 
cester (1845,  p.  14). 

Horace:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7),  Plymouth 
(l857>  P-  52ff)>  Wayland  (1860-61,  p.  2). 

Tacitus:  Germania:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7), 
and  Randolph  (1861,  p.  14).  Agriccla:  Mentioned  only  for 
Boston  (1826,  p.  7). 

Juvenal:  Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7),  Lowell 
(1832,  p.  13). 

Persius:    Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7). 

Phaedrus:    Fabulae:    Mentioned  only  for  Boston  (1826,  p.  7). 

Of  twenty  towns  considered  whose  reports  give  sufficient  data 
to  justify  a  judgment,  eleven  offer  Vergil  in  the  curriculum  be- 
fore Cicero  and  nine  Cicero  before  Vergil.  In  cases  where  there 
existed  a  complete  course  in  Latin  Cicero  was  sometimes  omitted. 
Such  was  rarely  the  case  with  Vergil. 

Some  of  the  texts  employed  in  the  teaching  of  Latin  were : 

Grammars:  Adams,  Alexander  (editions  by  Wells,  Johnson, 
Russell,  Gould)  ;  Andrews,  Ethan  A.  and  Stoddard,  Solomon; 
Jacob,  Christian  F.  W. 

Beginners'  Books,  etc.:  Andrews,  Ethan  A.,  First  Lessons  in 
Latin,  Latin  Exercises,  Latin  Reader,  Lessons  in  Latin;  Arnold, 
Thomas  K.,  First  and  Second  Latin  Books ;  Dana,  Joseph,  Liber 
Primus,  Latin  Tutor;  Goodrich,  Chauncey  A.,  Latin  Elements, 
Lessons  in  Latin  Parsing;  Harkness,  Albert,  First  and  Second 
Latin  Books  (Arnold)  ;  Jacob,  Christian  F.  W.,  Latin  Reader 
(ed.  Bancroft,  Geo.),  Liber  Primus;  Leverett,  Frederic  P.,  The 
New  Latin  Tutor ;  McClintock,  J.  and  Crook,  First  and  Second 
Books  in  Latin;  Richard,  — ,  First  Book  in  Latin;  Weld,  Allen 
H.,  Latin  Lessons  and  Reader. 

Caesar:  Andrews,  Ethan  A. ;  Anthon,  Charles ;  Schmitz,  Leon- 
hard  ;  Schmitz,  L.  and  Zumpt,  C.  G. 

Cicero:  Anthon,  Charles;  Bullion,  Peter;  Folsom,  Charles; 
Johnson, — ;  Schmidt,  Ebehard  K.  K. 

Vergil:  Andrews,  Ethan  A. ;  Anthon,  Charles  ;  Bowen,  Abel ; 
Cooper,  J.  G. ;  Frieze,  Henry  S. ;  Gould,  B.  A. ;  Moore,  Edward ; 
Russell,— ;  Schmidt,  Ebehard  K.  K. 

Sallust:  Andrews,  Ethan  A. ;  Anthon,  Charles ;  Schmidt, 
Ebehard  K.  K,;  Wilson. 

Ovid:    Andrews,  Ethan  A. ;  Gould,  B.  A. ;  Willymote,  William. 


io8  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Viri  Romae:    Andrews,  Ethan  A. ;  Leverett,  Frederic  P. 

Horace:    Gould,  B.  A. 

Nepos:    Arnold,  Thomas  K. 

Phaedrus:    Burman,  Pieter. 

Dictionaries :  Ains/worth,  Robert ;  Andrews,  Ethan  A. ;  Anthon, 
Charles ;  Arnold,  Thomas  K. ;  Leverett,  Frederic  P.  (and  edition 
by  Gardner). 

Other  Works'.  lAndrews,  Ethan  A.,  "  Antibarbarus  "  ;  Arnold, 
Thomas  K.,  "  Antibarbarus  " ;  Arnold,  Thomas  K.,  "  Latin  Prose 
Composition";  Arnold,  Thomas  K.,  "First  Verse  Book"; 
Doderlein,  Ludwig,  "  Latin  Synonyms  " ;  Hanson,  J.  H.,  "  Latin 
in  Prose  " ;  Hanson  and  Rolfe,  "  Latin  Poetry  " ;  Krebs,  John  P., 
"  Guide  for  Writing  Latin  " ;  Ramshorn,  Johann  G.  L.,  "  Diction- 
ary of  Latin  Synonyms  " ;  Valpy,  E.,  "  Latinae  Elegantiae." 

2.     GREEK 

The  history  of  the  study  of  Greek  as  a  secondary  school  subject 
in  Massachusetts  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  of  Latin  except 
that  the  latter  was  of  far  greater  extent  and  prevalence.  Occupy- 
ing a  position  parallel  with  Latin  in  the  colonial  Latin  grammar 
school,  Greek  furnished  a  large  part  of  the  secondary  school  ma- 
terial of  study  until  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  and 
even  up  to  the  passage  of  the  law  of  1827.  By  that  law  the  study 
of  Greek  was  provided  for  in  the  high  schools  of  all  towns  con- 
taining four  thousand  inhabitants  or  over  and  that  continued  to  be 
the  legal  status  of  Greek  throughout  the  period  under  considera- 
tion in  this  discussion.15 

Here  again  we  find  the  same  forces  at  work  to  encourage  the 
study  of  Greek  that  we  found  in  the  case  of  Latin:  the  prestige 
of  the  subject,  the  college  requirements,  the  existence  of  good 
text-books,  the  presence  of  well  trained  teachers,  and  a  body  of  well 
developed  method.  All  these  elements  conspired  to  continue  the 
study  of  Greek,  but  the  new  type  of  education  introducing  a  new 
aim  in  secondary  education  tended  strongly  to  lessen  the  influence 
of  the  college  with  its  entrance  requirements  for  a  classical  educa- 
tion. French  gradually  replaced  Greek  as  a  second  language  in 
the  high  schools  and  the  new  element  which  had  been  provided  for 
by  the  new  law  and  demanded  by  the  new  aim  in  secondary  edu- 
cation hastened  the  downfall  of  Greek.  In  addition  the  new  educa- 
tion provided  for  the  higher  education  of  girls  and  it  was  rarely 
that  the  latter  pursued  the  study  of  Greek. 

15  Cf .  p.  72. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  109 

The  requirement  for  the  teaching  of  Greek  in  the  high  schools 
of  towns  containing  four  thousand  inhabitants  or  over  was  not  well 
met  during  the  early  high  school  period.  In  many  towns  the 
study  of  Greek  was  maintained  only  by  fits  and  starts  as  students 
preparing  for  college  presented  themselves.  In  1834  but  two  towns 
in  the  state  claimed  to  offer  the  subject  in  their  schools  ;  by  1839-40 
the  number  had  increased  to  twelve  but  by  1840-41  it  had  again 
fallen  to  five.16  By  1 860-61  fifty-five  out  of  the  selected  group  of 
sixty- three  towns  had  included  Greek  in  the  curricula  of  their  high 
school 17  and  of  the  forty  high  schools  in  this  list  required  by  law 
to  offer  Greek  thirty-nine  had  complied  with  the  law.18 

According  to  the  figures  of  Horace  Mann  for  1842  one  hundred 
eighty-three  pupils  in  the  state  were  engaged  in  the  study  of 
Greek.19  Some  further  indication  of  the  number  of  high  school 
students  pursuing  the  subject  in  several  towns  at  various  periods  is 
given  in  Tables  XXVII-XXXIL20  From  these  figures,  inexact 
and  incomplete  as  they  are,  it  is  evident  that  a  very  small  percent- 
age of  the  students  of  the  high  schools  were  engaged  in  the  study 
of  the  subject.  In  Springfield  for  the  period  of  years  1855-1861 
the  gross  average  for  all  students  is  three  per  cent.21  In  Lowell 
for  the  years  1849-51  the  average  was  five  per  cent  for  boys  and 
less  than  2.1  per  cent  for  all.22 

Greek  was  commonly  begun  in  the  year  after  Latin  was  begun 
or  at  least  in  a  later  term.23  The  ground  covered  was  usually  the 
following  in  order :  the  beginner's  book  and  reader ;  Xenophon's 
Anabasis ;  Homer's  Iliad.  In  a  number  of  cases  some  part  of  the 
Oeek  Testament  was  included  in  the  course. 

Greek  Authors  Read 

Xenophon :  Anabasis ;  regularly  read.  It  was  commonly  the 
first  book  taken  up  after  the  beginner's  book  or  reader.  Usually 
but  three  or  four  books  were  read.  Cyropedia ;  mentioned  only 
for  Cambridge  (1853),  Northampton  (1860-1,  p.  20),  Salem 
(1859,  p.  40).  Hellenica;  mentioned  only  for  Cambridge  (1853). 

16  Cf.  p.  75. 
»  Cf.  p.  82. 
18  Cf.  p.  86. 


—    \~.l.      t/.     CNJ. 

19  Cf.  p.  87. 

20  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 

•21  r*£    _    *~ 


[  Cf.  p.  93- 

22  Cf.  p.  91. 

23  Cf.  p.  94- 


no  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Homer:  Iliad;  commonly  read  in  the  last  part  of  the  Greek 
course.  Usually  but  three  books  were  read.  Odyssey ;  mentioned 
only  for  Greenfield  (1861,  p.  5). 

New  Testament:  Mentioned  for  several  towns:  e.  g.  Boston 
(1826,  p.  7),  Ipswich  (1855),  Lowell  (1832,  p.  13),  Marblehead 
l859>  PP-  22  ff-)>  Milford  (1856,  pp.  14  ff.),  Nantucket  (1840-1, 
Mass.  Abstract,  p.  288),  Northampton  (1860-1,  p.  20),  Plymouth 
(^57,  p.  54),  Rockport  (1856-7,  p.  13),  Winchendon  (1856,  p. 
17),  Winchester  (1850-1,  p.  15). 

Thucydides,  Herodotus,  Lysias:  Mentioned  only  for  Cambridge 
(1853). 

Some  of  the  text-books  employed  in  teaching  Greek  were: 

Grammars:  Crosby,  Alpheus ;  Fisk,  Benj.  F. ;  Goodrich,  Chaun- 
cey  A. ;  Hadley,  James ;  Juler,  —  ;  Kuhner,  Raphael ;  Popkin,  —  , 
Gloucester  Greek  Grammar ;  Sophocles,  Evangelinus  A. 

Beginner's  Books  and  Readers:  Andrews,  Ethan  A.,  Greek 
Exercises;  Anthon,  Charles,  Greek  Reader;  Arnold,  Thomas  K., 
First  Greek  Book ;  Bullion,  Peter,  First  Greek  Book,  Greek  Les- 
sons for  Beginners ;  Colton,  John  O.,  Greek  Reader ;  Crosby, 
Alpheus,  Greek  Lessons ;  Felton,  Cornelius  C,  Greek  Reader ; 
Dalzel,  Andrew,  and  Dunbar,  Collectanea  Graeca  Maiora,  Graeca 
Minora;  Jacob,  Frederic,  The  Greek  Reader;  Kendrick,  A.  C., 
Primary  Greek  Book,  Greek  Introduction,  Ollendorf  s  First  Les- 
sons in  Greek ;  McClintock  and  Crook,  First  and  Second  Books  in 
Greek ;  Neilson,  William,  Greek  Exercises ;  Sophocles,  Evangelinus 
A.,  Greek  Lessons,  Greek  Exercises. 

Anabasis:    Boise,  James  R. ;  Crosby,  Alpheus ;  Owen,  John  J. 

Iliad:    Felton,  Cornelius  C. ;  Mattair. 

Testament:  Owen,  John  J.,  Acts  of  the  Apostles ;  Spencer, 
J.  A.,  New  Testament  in  Greek,  Four  Gospels  and  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  in  Greek. 

Dictionaries:  Donnegan,  James ;  Henericus,  Benj. ;  Liddell, 
Henry  G.  and  Scott,  Robert ;  Passow,  Franz  L.  K.  F. ;  Pickering, 
John ;  Scapula,  Johann. 

Other  Texts:  Arnold,  Thomas  K.,  Greek  Prose  Composition; 
Valpy,  F.,  Greek  Delectus. 

3.    ALGEBRA 

The  study  of  mathematics  had  no  place  in  the  curriculum  of  the 
colonial  Latin  grammar  school  in  Massachusetts.  As  late  as  1789 
no  mathematics  was  contained  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston 
Public  Latin  School.24  Students  of  the  school  were,  however,  per- 
mitted to  attend  an  English  public  or  private  school  twice  a  week, 

21  Cf.  p.  2. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  in 

half  a  day,  where  some  arithmetic  was  taught.25  A  somewhat 
later  program  of  that  institution  likewise  contained  no  mathe- 
matics 26  but  some  time  between  1814  and  1828,  during  the  head- 
mastership  of  Gould,  the  subjects  of  arithmetic,  geometry,  trigo- 
nometry, and  algebra  were  introduced  into  the  course  of  study.27 
Meantime  mathematics  had  been  taken  up  by  the  academy.  In  the 
constitution  of  the  Phillips  Andover  Academy  arithmetic  and 
geometry  were  mentioned  as  subject  to  be  taught  in  that  institu- 
tion.28 In  the  curriculum  of  the  Pittsfield  Academy  for  1822 
algebra,  geometry,  trigonometry,  surveying,  and  navigation  were 
included,29  and  in  1824  the  Leicester  Academy  provision  was  made 
for  the  teaching  of  arithmetic,  algebra,  geometry,  and  surveying.30 
In  the  first  program  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of 
Boston  for  1821  were  included  algebra,  geometry,  arithmetic,  trig- 
onometry "  with  its  applications  to  the  Mensuration  of  Heights  and 
Distances,  Navigation,  Surveying,  Mensuration  of  Surfaces  and 
Solids."  31  In  the  program  of  that  institution  for  1823-24  were  in- 
cluded intellectual  and  written  arithmetic,  algebra  "by  dictation," 
geometry,  "  Practical  Mathematics,  comprehending  Navigation, 
Surveying,  Mensuration,  Astronomical  Calculations,  etc.,  together 
with  the  construction  and  use  of  Mathematical  Instruments."  32 

By  the  law  of  1827  algebra  was  required  to  be  taught  in  the 
high  schools  of  all  towns  of  five  hundred  families  or  over.33 
By  the  law  of  1857  it  was  made  obligatory  in  the  elementary 
schools  33  and  by  the  law  of  1858  it  was  withdrawn  from  the  list 
of  required  studies  and  left  to  the  option  of  the  school  commit- 
tees.34 Beginning  with  1820  algebra  became  one  of  the  studies 
required  for  entrance  to  Harvard  University.35  The  requirement 
in  Williams  and  Amherst  came  later. 

By  1834  but  three  towns  in  the  state  claimed  to  offer  algebra  in 
their  schools.  In  1837  tne  number  had  leaped  to  eighty-four,  and 

^Jenks,  H.  R,  Boston  Public  Latin  School,  p.  43. 

»Cf.  p.  5. 

^Jenks,  as  above,  p.  63. 

28  Cf.  p.  12. 

29  Cf.  p.  13. 

30  Cf.  p.  12. 

31  Cf.  p.  17. 

32  Cf.  p.  17- 

33  Cf .  p.  72. 

34  Acts  and  Resolves  for  1858,  Chap.  5,  Sect.  2. 
^Bnoome,  E.  'C,  College  Admission  Requirements,  p.  43. 


H2  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

by  1840-41  one  hundred  four  towns  claimed  to  offer  the  subject.36 
Inasmuch  as  there  were  not  more  than  eighteen  high  schools  in 
the  state  at  that  time  37  it  is  clear  that  the  study  had  been  generally 
taken  up  by  the  elementary  schools.  In  1 860-61  probably  every 
high  school  in  the  state  offered  algebra  in  its  course  of  study.  Of 
the  towns  in  the  selected  list  of  sixty-three  considered  in  Table 
XX,38  all  contained  the  subject  in  the  curricula  of  their  high 
schools. 

According  to  the  figures  of  Horace  Mann,  in  1842  some  2333 
pupils  in  the  state  were  engaged  in  the  study  of  algebra — more 
than  the  number  engaged  in  any  other  subject  except  history.39 
The  number  of  students  pursuing  the  subject  at  various  dates  in 
several  towns  is  indicated  in  Tables  XXVII  -  XXXII.40  From 
the  figures  given  there,  incomplete  as  they  must  necessarily  be, 
it  is  evident  that  algebra  had  become  one  of  the  leading  subjects 
in  the  high  school  curriculum,  probably  unexcelled  in  the  number 
of  students  pursuing  it  by  any  other  subject  except  Latin. 

Algebra  was  regularly  taught  (after  the  course  became  settled) 
in  the  first  and  second  years  of  the  course,  usually  giving  way 
during  the  second  year  to  geometry.41  The  scope  of  the  subject 
can  best  be  seen  from  the  text-books  employed.  A  list  of  these 
follows : 

Bailey,  Ebenezer,  "  First  Lessons  in  Algebra " ;  Bland,  R., 
"  Algebraical  Problems  " ;  Bourdon,  Pierre,  L.  M.,  "  Elements  of 
Algebra  "  ;  Colburn,  Warren,  "  An  Introduction  to  Algebra  "  ; 
Davies,  Charles,  "  Elementary  Algebra,"  "  Elements  of  Algebra," 
"  First  Lessons  in  Algebra " ;  Day,  Jeremiah,  "  An  Intro- 
duction to  Algebra,"  "  Elements  of  Algebra " ;  Euler,  Leon- 
hard,  "Elements  of  Algebra,"  "Introduction  to  the  Ele- 
ments of  Algebra";  Greenleaf,  Benj.,  "A  Practical  Trea- 
tise on  Algebra";  Grund,  Francis  J.,  "Algebra";  Lacroix, 
Sylvestre  R,  "Elements  of  Algebra";  Pierce,  Benj.,  "An 
Elementary  Treatise  on  Algebra";  Perkins,  George  R.,  "The 
Elements  of  Algebra,"  "  Treatise  on  Algebra  " ;  Robinson,  Horatio 
N.,  "  An  Elementary  Treatise  on  Algebra,"  "  New  Elementary 

36  Cf.  p.  75- 

37  Cf.  p.  46. 

38  Cf.  p.  82. 

39  Cf.  p.  87. 

40  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 

41  Cf.  p.  94. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  113 

Algebra  " ;  Sherman,  Thomas,  "  The  Common  School  Algebra," 
"An  Elementary  Treatise  on  Algebra";  Smith,  Roswell  C, 
"  Elements  of  Algebra  "  ;  Smyth,  William,  "  Elements  of  Algebra," 
r<  Treatise  on  Algebra,"  "  Elementary  Algebra  " ;  Thompson, 
James  B.,  "  Elements  of  Algebra,"  "  An  Elementary  Treatise  on 
Algebra  " ;  Totten,  Silas,  "  A  New  Introduction  to  the  Science  of 
Algebra  " ;  Tower,  David  B.,  "  Intellectual  Algebra." 

4.     GEOMETRY 

The  status  of  geometry  previous  to  the  law  of  1827  has  been 
outlined  on  pages  iio-m.  From  the  data  there  presented  it  can 
be  seen  that  previous  to  the  nineteenth  century  geometry  had  no 
place  among  the  studies  of  the  Latin  grammar  school,  but  that  it 
had  appeared  in  the  academy.  During  the  first  quarter  of  the 
nineteenth  century  the  subject  was  introduced  into  the  curricula 
of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School  and  the  Boston  English  Classical 
(High)  School. 

By  the  law  of  1827  the  teaching  of  geometry  was  made  obliga- 
tory in  the  high  schools  of  all  towns  containing  five  hundred 
families  or  over  and  such  was  its  legal  status  during  the  period 
under  consideration  in  this  discussion.42  It  was  first  required  for 
entrance  to  Harvard  College  in  i844,43  and  for  admission  to 
Amherst  College  in  i859-6o.44 

In  1834  but  two  towns  in  the  state  claimed  to  offer  geometry  in 
their  schools.  By  1837  the  number  had  become  forty-five  but  in 
the  next  year  it  had  fallen  to  twenty-two,  and  in  1840-41  but 
eighteen  towns  claimed  to  offer  the  subject  in  their  schools.45  By 
186061  geometry  had  been  included  in  the  curricula  of  the  high 
schools  of  sixty-one  towns  out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three 
towns.40  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  subject  had  become  one 
of  the  regular  studies  of  the  Massachusetts  high  school  by  that 
time. 

The  figures  of  Horace  Mann  show  that  in  1842  four  hundred 
and  sixty-three  pupils  in  the  state  were  engaged  in  the  study  of 

42  Cf.  p.  72. 

^Broome,  E.  C,  College  Admission  Requirements,  p.  45. 

44  Catalogue  for  1859-60. 

•Cf,  p.  75- 

*Cf.  p.  82.      ' 

8 


H4  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

geometry.47  The  figures  given  in  Tables  XXVII-XXXII 48 
indicate  the  number  of  pupils  pursuing  the  subject  of  geometry 
in  several  schools  at  various  dates.  As  would  be  expected  from 
the  fact  the  geometry  was  a  subject  in  many  ways  presupposing 
more  or  less  knowledge  of  algebra,  the  proportion  of  pupils 
studying  the  former  was  less  than  that  of  those  engaged  in  the 
study  of  algebra. 

In  the  course  of  study  geometry  regularly  followed  algebra 
and  was  commonly  found  in  the  second  year  of  the  high  school 
course.49 

Text-books  employed  in  the  study  of  geometry  were:  Brun, 
"  Elements  of  Geometry " ;  Davies,  Charles,  "  Descriptive 
Geometry,"  "  Elements  of  Geometry,"  "  Legendre's  Geometry  "  ; 
Grund,  Francis  J.,  "  Elementary  Treatise  on  Geometry/'  "  First 
Lessons  in  Plane  Geometry";  Allen,  J.,  '' Elements  of  Geometry  " 
(Euclid)  ;  Hill,  Thomas,  "Geometry";  Holbrook,  Josiah,  "Easy 
Lessons  in  Geometry " ;  Legendre,  Adrien  M.,  "  Elements  of 
Geometry"  (ed,  Farrar,  J.),  Same  (ed.  Davies,  Charles), 
"Geometry"  (ed.  Brewster)  ;  Loomis,  Elias,  "Elements  of 
Geometry" ;  Olmsted,  Denison,  "  Elements  of  Geometry" ;  Parker, 
Richard  G.,  "  Geometry  "  ;  Pierce,  James  M.,  "  Geometry  " ;  Play- 
fair,  John  Euclod,  "  Elements  of  Geometry " ;  Robinson,  N.  H., 
"  Geometry  " ;  Smyth,  William,  "  Geometry  "  ;  Tillinghast,  "  Ele- 
ments of  Plane  Geometry  " ;  Walker,  W.,  "  Geometry." 

5.     TRIGONOMETRY,    SURVEYING,    NAVIGATION,    MENSURATION, 
ANALYTICAL  GEOMETRY 

The  status  of  the  higher  mathematics  in  the  schools  of  Massa- 
chusetts previous  to  the  law  of  1827  has  been  outlined  on  pages 
no-iii.  There  it  was  shown  that  trigonometry,  surveying,  and 
navigation  had  appeared  in  the  curricula  of  the  academies  by  that 
date.  Likewise  it  was  shown  that  "  trigonometry,  and  its  uses  " 
had  been  introduced  into  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston  Public  Latin 
School  during  the  period  1814-1828,  and  that  trigonometry,  sur- 
veying, navigation,  and  mensuration  had  appeared  in  the  first 
course  of  study  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School. 

By  the  law  of  1827,  surveying  was  made  a  required  subject  in 

47  Cf.  p.  87. 
«  Cf.  pp.  88-93. 
«Cf.  p.  94- 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  115 

the  high  schools  of  all  towns  containing  five  hundred  families  and 
over  and  this  requirement  continued  in  force  throughout  the  period 
considered  in  this  discussion.50  None  of  the  other  subjects  men- 
tioned above  was  ever  required  by  law  to  be  taught  in  the  high 
schools  of  Massachusetts,  nor  was  any  mathematics  beyond 
geometry  ever  required  for  admission  to  college  within  this  period. 

In  1834  two  towns  in  the  state  claimed  to  offer  instruction  in 
surveying  in  their  schools  and  no  town  claimed  to  offer  instruction 
in  any  of  the  other  subjects  considered  here.  By  1840-41  fifteen 
towns  claimed  to  offer  surveying  in  their  schools,  five  offered 
navigation  and  three  trigonometry.51  By  1860-61  forty-five  towns 
out  of  the  selected  list  of  sixty-three  towns52  offered  surveying 
in  their  high  schools,  fifteen  navigation  and  mensuration,  and 
thirty-seven  trigonometry. 

In  Tables  XXVII-XXXII  53  some  figures  ajre  given  showing 
the  number  of  students  engaged  in  the  study  of  these  subjects  in 
several  towns  at  various  dates.  It  may  be  noted  that  the  number 
of  students  pursuing  the  subjects  is  small  if  any  dependence  can 
be  placed  on  these  figures. 

Where  trigonometry,  surveying,  and  navigation  appeared  at  all 
in  the  curriculum  of  a  high  school  they  regularly  assumed  a 
position  toward  the  end  of  the  course,  commonly  in  the  third 
year,  or,  where  there  was  a  four  year  course,  sometimes  in  the 
fourth  year.54 

Analytical  geometry  under  that  special  head  was  mentioned  in 
but  one  high  school  up  to  1860-61.  It  was  found  in  the  high  school 
of  Newburyport  in  i855.55 

Text-books  in  use  in  the  various  subjects  were: 

Trigonometry:  Darley,  George,  "  Popular  System  of  Trigo- 
nometry "  ;  Davies,  Charles, "  Elementary  Geometry  and  Trigonom- 
etry "  ;  Day,  Jeremiah,  "  Plane  Trigonometry  "  ;  Legendre,  Adrien 
M.,  ''Geometry  and  Trigonometry"  (ed.  Davies,  Charles); 
Loomis,  Elias,  "  Elements  of  Plane  and  Spherical  Trigonometry  " ; 
Pierce,  Benj.,  "  Elementary  Treatise  on  Plane  Trigonometry " ; 
Smyth,  Thomas,  "  Plane  Trigonometry." 

50  Cf.  p.  72. 

51  Cf.  p.  75- 
5*Cf.  p.  82. 

53  Cf.  pp.  88-93. 

54  Cf.  p.  94.   ' 

55  Newburyport  report  for  1855,  p.  13. 


n6  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Surveying:  Alsop,  S.,  "Treatise  on  Surveying";  Dane, 
"  Surveying  "  ;  Davies,  Charles,  "  Surveying  "  ;  Flint,  A.,  "  Survey- 
ing " ;  Gibson,  Robert,  "  Surveying  " ;  Gummere,  John,  "  Survey- 
ing," (Key  by  Alsop,  S.) 

Navigation:  Bowditch,  Nathaniel,  "  The  American  Naviga- 
tor " ;  Davies,  Charles,  "Navigation." 

6.     NATURAL  PHILOSOPHY 

Natural  philosophy  apparently  first  found  a  place  in  the  curric- 
ulum of  the  secondary  school  in  Massachusetts  in  the  academy. 
The  constitution  of  the  Phillips  Andover  Academy  provided  for 
instruction  in  "  any  other  of  the  liberal  Arts  and  Sciences;."  56  The 
program  of  the  Phillips  Exeter  Academy  for  1818  called  for 
"Elements  of  Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy,  with  experi- 
ments," for  the  third  and  last  year  of  the  course.57  From  the 
beginning  the  Pittsfield  Academy  offered  natural  philosophy  in  its 
course  of  study.58 

In  the  public  schools  the  subject  first  made  its  appearance  in  the 
English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  in  i82i.59  In  the 
program  of  that  school  for  1823-24  natural  philosophy  appears  as 
a  study  for  the  second  class  and  in  the  last  class  was  offered 
"A  course  of  experimental  lectures  in  the  various  branches  of 
Natural  Philosophy."60  The  High  School  for  Girls  in  Boston 
in  its  first  program  prescribed  natural  philosophy  for  the  second 
year  of  the  course.61 

No  legal  requirements  were  made  for  the  teaching  of  natural 
philosophy  in  the  schools  of  the  state  until  1857  when  the  subject 
was  required  by  law  to  be  taught  in  the  high  schools  of  all  towns 
of  five  hundred  families  or  over.62  Natural  philosophy  was  never 
made  a  requirement  for  entrance  to  college  in  Massachusetts  within 
the  period  considered  in  this  discussion. 

Notwithstanding  its  recent  appearance  in  the  curriculum  and  the 
absence  of  legal  support  natural  philosophy  quickly  assumed  a 
prominent  position  as  a  school  subject.  In  1834  but  twenty-four 

56  Cf.  p.  12. 

57  Bell,  Charles  H.,  Phillips  Exeter  Academy,  A  Historical  Sketch,  p.  94. 

58  Cf.  p.  13. 

59  Cf.  p.  17. 

60  Cf.  p.  17. 

61  Cf.  p.  19. 
«Cf.  p.  72. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  117 

towns  out  of  a  total  of  two  hundred  sixty-one  reporting  to  the 
state  board  of  education  claimed  to  offer  the  study  in  the  public 
schools.  By  1838-39  the  number  had  increased  to  one  hundred  fifty 
out  of  two  hundred  ninety-eight  reporting,  and  in  1840-41  one 
hundred  eighty-one  towns  out  of  three  hundred  four  claimed  to 
offer  the  subject.63  At  the  last  date  there  were  not  more  than 
eighteen  high  schools  maintained  in  the  state,  so  that  it  can  be 
seen  that  natural  philosophy  had  become  a  common  subject  of 
study  in  the  elementary  schools.  By  186061  out  of  the  selected 
group  of  sixty-three  high  schools  natural  philosophy  appears  in 
the  programs  of  sixty.64  By  that  time  the  subject  had  assumed  a 
position  as  a  subject  especially  adapted  to  the  high  school  rather 
than  the  lower  school,  and  it  no  longer  was  found  to  any  great  ex- 
tent in  the  elementary  schools.  Tables  XXVII-XXXII  °5  present 
some  data  which  give  an  idea  of  the  relative  number  of  students 
in  various  schools  pursuing  the  subject,  though  these  data  are 
very  unsatisfactory. 

From  Table  XXXIII  °°  it  appears  that  natural  philosophy  com- 
monly was  offered  in  the  second  year  of  the  high  school  course 
though  not  uncommonly  it  was  offered  as  a  first  year  subject.  It 
also  appears  that,  with  the  possible  exception  of  physiology  and 
physical  geography,  natural  philosophy  was  the  first  branch  of 
physical  science  to  be  presented  to  the  student  in  most  high  schools. 

Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  natural  philosophy  were: 
Abbott,  Jacob,  "Little  Philosophy";  Agassiz  (Louis)  and  Gould 
(Augustus),  "Natural  Philosophy";  Biot,  Jean  B.,  "Natural 
Philosophy  " ;  Blair,  David,  "  Grammar  of  Natural  and  Experi- 
mental Philosophy";  Blake,  John  L.,  "Natural  Philosophy"; 
Comstock,  John  L.,  "  Natural  Philosophy  " ;  Draper,  B.  H.,  "  Text- 
book on  Natural  Philosophy,"  "  Conversations  on  Natural  Philos- 
ophy " ;  Grund,  Francis  J.,  "  Elements  of  Natural  Philosophy  " ; 
Johnston,  John,  "  Natural  Philosophy " ;  Parker,  Richard  G., 
"  First  Lessons  in  Natural  Philosophy,"  "  The  Boston  School  Com- 
pendium of  Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy  " ;  Phelps,  Mrs. 
Almira  H.  L.,  "Familiar  Lectures  on  Natural  Philosophy," 
"  Natural  Philosophy  for  Beginners  " ;  Quackenbos,  G.  P.,  "  Nat- 

63  Cf.  p.  75- 

64  Cf.  p.  82. 

«  Cf.  pp.  88-93. 
*Cf.  p.  94- 


n8  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

ural  Philosophy " ;  Smellie,  William,  "  Philosophy  of  Natural 
Philosophy  "  ;  Smith,  H.  B.,  "  Natural  Philosophy  "  ;  Swift,  Mar- 
garet, "  First  Lessons  in  Natural  Philosophy " ;  Tate,  Thomas, 
"Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy,"  "Cambridge  Physics." 

7.     CHEMISTRY 

Chemistry,  like  natural  philosophy,  first  made  its  appearance  in 
the  secondary  school  curriculum  in  the  academy.  In  the  Leicester 
Academy  it  was  taught  as  early  as  i8i3.67  In  the  public  schools 
its  appearance  dates  from  the  beginning  of  the  High  School  for 
Girls  in  Boston  in  1826,  where  it  was  required  in  the  third  year.68 
Previous  to  this  some  slight  attention  was  given  to  chemistry  in 
Blair's  "  Elements  of  the  Arts  and  Sciences,"  a  text-book  used  in 
the  Boston  English  High  School  in  i823~24.69  "Agricultural 
Chemistry"  was  found  in  the  curriculum  of  the  high  school  in 
Ipswich  in  ^845.™ 

No  legal  provision  was  made  for  the  teaching  of  chemistry  in 
the  public  schools  until  1857,  when  it  was  made  obligatory  in  high 
schools  in  towns  containing  five  hundred  families  or  over.71  The 
subject  was  never  required  for  entrance  to  college  in  Massa- 
chusetts within  the  period  under  consideration  in  this  discussion. 

Chemistry  never  assumed  the  prominent  position  which  natural 
philosophy  early  assumed  in  the  public  schools.  In  1834  but  three 
public  schools  claimed  to  offer  the  subject.  By  1838-39  the  num- 
ber had  risen  to  forty- three  and  by  1839-40  to  fifty-seven, 
followed  in  1840-41  by  a  drop  to  forty-one.72  In  should  be  remem- 
bered that  at  this  time  there  were  but  eighteen  high  schools  in  the 
state.  By  1 860-61  out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  towns 
fifty-two  offered  chemistry  in  their  courses.73  Tables  XXVII- 
XXXII 74  present  data  for  several  towns  regarding  the  propor- 
tion of  students  pursuing  this  subject. 

From  Table  XXXIII  on  page  94,  it  appears  that  the  position 

67  Cf.  p.  12. 
6&Cf.  p.  19, 

68  Cf.  p.  17. 

70  Report  for  1845-6,  p.  5- 
?!  Cf.  p.  32. 
"Cf.  p.  75. 
73  Cf.  p.  82. 
7<  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  119 

of  chemistry  in  the  course  of  study  was  regularly  in  the  second 
or  third  year  with  a  slight  tendency  in  favor  of  the  latter. 

Some  of  the  text-books  in  use  were:  Blake,  John  L., 
"  Chemistry  " ;  Brown,  William  S.,  "  Chemistry  for  Beginners  "  ; 
Comstock,  John  L.,  "  Elements  of  Chemistry,"  "  Conversations,  on 
Chemistry,"  "  Grammar  of  Chemistry  "  ;  Draper,  John  W.,  "  Text 
Book  on  Chemistry";  Gray,  Alonzo,  "Elements  of  Chemistry," 
"  Practical  Treatise  on  Chemistry  " ;  Grund,  Francis  J.,  "  Elements 
of  Chemistry " ;  Johnston,  John,  "  Manual  of  Chemistry," 
"  Catechism  of  Agricultural  Chemistry " ;  Jones,  Thomas  P., 
"  Conversations  on  Chemistry  "  ;  Perkins,  Geo.  R.,  "  Chemistry  "  ; 
Phelps,  Mrs.  Almira  H.  L.,  "  Chemistry,"  "  Chemistry  for  Begin- 
ners," "Familiar  Lectures  on  Chemistry";  Silliman,  Benj., 
"  Elements  of  Chemistry  " ;  Silliman,  Benj.  Jr.,  "  First  Principles 
of  Chemistry";  Stockhardt,  J.  A.,  "Principles  of  Chemistry"; 
Turner,  Edward,  "Chemistry,"  "Elements  of  Chemistry"; 
Youman,  Edward  L.,  "  Class-book  of  Chemistry,"  "  Chart  of 
Chemistry." 

8.    ASTRONOMY 

Astronomy  first  found  a  place  in  the  secondary  schools  of  Massa- 
chusetts in  the  academy.75  In  the  public  school  it  was  first  intro- 
duced into  the  curriculum  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School 
in  1821  in  connection  with  natural  philosophy.76  In  the  course 
of  study  of  that  institution  for  1823-24,  "Astronomical  Calcu- 
lations "  was  found  in  connection  with  "  Practical  Mathematics."  77 
In  the  High  School  for  Girls  of  Boston  astronomy  was  found  in 
the  third  year  of  the  course  of  study  for  i826.78 

No  legal  requirements  for  the  teaching  of  astronomy  in  the 
public  schools  of  Massachusetts  existed  until  1857  when  the  sub- 
ject was  required  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  containing  four 
thousand  inhabitants  or  over.79  The  subject  was  never  required 
for  entrance  to  college. 

In  1834  eighteen  towns  claimed  to  offer  astronomy  in  their 
schools.  In  1838-39  the  number  had  increased  to  forty-four,  and 

75  Cf.  p.  12. 

76  Cf.  p.  17. 

77  Cf.  p.  17. 

78  Cf.  p.  19. 

79  Cf.  p.  32.  • 


I2O  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

in  1839-40  to  fifty-eight.  In  1840-41  the  number  claiming  to  offer 
the  subject  was  forty-eight.80  By  1 860-61,  out  of  the  selected 
group  of  sixty-three  towns,  fifty-one  contained  astronomy  in  the 
curricula  of  their  high  schools.81  In  this  respect  it  will  be  seen 
that  at  that  time  astronomy  held  about  the  same  position  as 
chemistry.  Some  data  regarding  the  number  of  students  pursuing 
the  subject  are  presented  in  Tables  XXVII -XXXII.82  The 
position  of  astronomy  in  the  course  of  study  was  regularly  in  the 
third  year,  but  in  a  few  cases  it  was  to  be  found  in  the  second  or 
fourth  year.83 

Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  astronomy  were:  Abbott, 
John  S.  C,  "  Young  Astronomer  " ;  Blake,  John  L.,  "  First  Book 
in  Astronomy  " ;  Brocklesby,  John,  "  Elements  of  Meteorology  " ; 
Burritt,  Elijah  H.,  "Geography  of  the  Heavens" ;  Cummings,  Jacob 
A.,  "  First  Lessons  in  Geography  and  Astronomy  " ;  Guy,  Joseph, 
"  Elements  of  Astronomy  " ;  Herchell,  John  F.  W.,  "  Outlines  of 
Astronomy,"  "  Treatise  on  Astronomy " ;  Mackintyre,  — , 
"  Astronomy " ;  Mattison,  H.,  "  Elementary  Astronomy," 
"  Primary  Astronomy " ;  Olmsted,  Denison,  "  Compendium  of 
Astronomy,"  "  Introduction  to  Astronomy,"  "  School  Astronomy," 
"  Rudiments  of  Astronomy  " ;  Vose,  John,  "  Compendium  of  As- 
tronomy"; Wilbur,  Hervey,  "Elements  of  Astronomy";  Wil- 
kins,  John  H.,  "  Elements  of  Astronomy." 

9.    BOTANY 

A  search  through  considerable  material  bearing  on  the  curricula 
of  the  early  academies  of  Massachusetts  failed  to  reveal  any  sure 
case  of  the  presence  of  botany  as  a  subject  of  study.  However, 
the  impetus  given  by  the  academies  to  the  study  of  the  natural 
sciences  in  general  without  doubt  had  its  effect  on  the  secondary 
schools  in  the  matter  of  all  the  natural  sciences.  In  the  public 
schools  botany  first  found  a  place  in  the  curriculum  of  the  High 
School  for  Girls  in  Boston.  In  the  course  of  study  for  that  insti- 
tution in  1826  botany  was  offered  as  an  optional  study  in  any  one 
of  the  three  years  of  the  course.84  It  should  be  remembered  that 
this  institution  was  suspended  in  1828. 

80  Cf.  p.  75. 

81  Cf.  p.  82. 

82  Cf .  pp.  88-93- 
88  Cf.  p.  94. 

84  Cf.  p.  19. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  121 

No  legal  requirements  existed  for  the  teaching  of  botany  in 
the  high  schools  of  the  state  until  1857,  when  the  subject  was 
required  in  the  high  schools  in  towns  of  five  hundred  families 
and  over.85  The  subject  was  never  required  for  admission  to 
college. 

In  1834  three  towns  claimed  to  offer  the  subject  of  botany  in 
the  curricula  of  their  schools.  In  1838-39  and  1839-40  nine  towns 
claimed  to  offer  the  subject,  but  in  1840-41  the  number  again 
fell  to  three  towns.86  From  Table  XX  87  it  appears  that  in  1860-61 
some  forty-two  out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  towns 
offered  botany  in  the  curricula  of  their  high  schools.  Some  indica- 
tion of  the  number  of  students  taking  the  subject  is  presented  in 
Tables  XXVII  -  XXXII.88  From  these  tables  it  will  appear  that 
the  subject  never  attracted  any  large  number  of  students. 

Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  botany  were:  Comstock, 
John  L.,  "Elements  of  Botany,"  "  Introduction  to  Botany," 
"  Young  Botanist " ;  Comstock,  John  L.,  and  J.  C,  "  Illustrated 
Botany " ;  Congdon,  "  Elements  of  Botany " ;  Gray,  Asa, 
"  Botanical  Text-Book  " ;  Green,  Roland,  "  Elements  of  Botany  " ; 
Lincoln,  Mrs.,  "  Conversations  on  Botany " ;  List,  C.,  "  Outlines 
of  Botany";  Phelps,  Mrs.  Almira  H.  L.,  "Botany  for  Begin- 
ners," "  Botany,"  "  Familiar  Lectures  on  Botany " ;  Wood, 
Alphonso,  "  Class-Book  of  Botany,"  "  First  Lessons  in  Botany." 

10.    GEOLOGY 

Geology  does  not  appear  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  secondary 
school  curriculum  until  after  the  beginning  of  the  high  school 
period.  The  report  of  the  school  committee  of  Northampton  for 
1837  (page  14)  indicates  that  geology  was  a  part  of  the  course 
of  study,  but  no  students  are  indicated  as  pursuing  the  subject. 

The  data  presented  in  Table  XVIII80  indicate  that  but  one 
town  claimed  to  offer  the  subject  up  to  1840-41.  Here  the  sub- 
ject first  appeared  in  the  returns  of  the  town  of  Ipswich  for 
1838-39.°° 

Geology  never  was  required  by  law  to  be  taught  in  the  high 

«5  Cf.  p.  32. 
*Cf.  p.  75. 

87  Cf.  p.  82. 

88  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 

89  Cf.  p.  75- 

90  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1838-9,  p.  22. 


1-1 


122  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

school  until  the  act  of  1857,  when  the  subject  was  made  obligatory 
in  the  high  schools  of  towns  containing  four  thousand  or  more 
inhabitants.91  The  subject  was  never  required  for  entrance  to 
college. 

In  1 860-6 1,  three  years  after  the  subject  became  a  required 
study  for  high  schools  of  the  first  grade,  out  of  a  selected  group 
of  sixty-three  towns  geology  was  taught  in  thirty-three.  Some 
incomplete  data  regarding  the  number  of  students  pursuing  the 
subject  in  a  few  schools  are  presented  in  Tables  XXVII-XXXII.92 
From  this  data  it  appears  that,  previous  to  1861,  not  more  than 
one-half  of  the  high  schools  in  the  state  offered  geology  in  their 
course  of  study  and  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  students  were 
engaged  in  studying  it. 

Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  geology  were :  Hall,  James/, 
"  Geological  Chart " ;  Hitchcock,  Edward,  "  Elements  of 
Geology,  "  Elementary  Geology  " ;  Loomis,  J.  R.,  "  Elements  of 
Geology";  Mather,  William  W.,  "Elements  of  Geology";  St. 
John,  Samuel,  "  Elements  of  Geology  " ;  Tenney,  Sanborn,  "  Ele- 
ments of  Geology." 

ii.     PHYSICAL  GEOGRAPHY 

The  study  of  geography  was  made  obligatory  in  the  elementary 
schools  of  the  state  by  the  statute  of  1827.  No  requirement  was 
ever  made  for  the  teaching  of  it  in  the  high  schools,  but  in 
almost  all  high  schools  the  subject  was  reviewed  to  some 
extent  in  the  first  year.  During  the  early  high  school 
period  physical  geography  did  not  appear  in  the  high  school 
program  as  a  separate  study,  and  whatever  elements  of  physical 
geography  were  found  were  taught  in  connection  with  the  general 
subject.  In  1852,  however,  "  Physical  Geography "  appears  as  a 
separate  subject  in  the  male  and  female  departments  of  the 
English  course  of  the  Lowell  High  School.93  In  the  report  for 
1853  of  the  Cambridge  High  School  "  Physical  and  Political " 
geography  is  set  down  in  the  course  of  study.94 

Notwithstanding  the  lack  of  legal  support  and  the  absence  of 
any  college  requirement,  within  the  ten  years  previous  to  1860-61 

91  Cf.  p.  32. 
32  Cf.  pp.  88-93. 


^Lowell  Report  for  1852,  pp.  8-9. 

94  Cambridge  Report  for  1853,  pp.  46-7. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  123 

the  subject  of  physical  geography  attained  a  position  of  consider- 
able importance,  being  taught  in  forty-three  of  the  selected  group 
of  sixty-three  high  schools  considered  in  Table  XX.95  The 
figures  presented  in  Table  XXX  9G  indicate  that  in  the  four  towns 
there  considered  in  which  the  subject  was  taught  almost  as  large 
a  percentage  of  students  studied  physical  geography  as  studied 
algebra.  The  figures  for  the  Springfield  High  School  during 
the  period  1855-61,  show  that  eighteen  per  cent,  of  all  the  students 
in  the  high  school  studied  physical  geography.97 

Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  physical  geography  were: 
Cartee,  Cornelius  S.,  "  Elements  of  Physical  and  Political 
Geography  "  ;  Colton,  George  W.,  "  Physical  Geography  " ;  Fitch, 
George.  W.,  "  Outlines  of  Physical  Geography  " ;  Guyot,  Arnold 
H.,  "  The  Earth  and  Man  " ;  Sommerville,  Mrs.  Mary,  "  Physical 
Geography  "  ;  Warren,  D.  M.,  "  Physical  Geography  "  ;  Zornlin, 
Rosina  M.,  "Outlines  of  Physical  Geography,'"  "Physical 
Geography  for  Families  and  Schools." 

12.    ANATOMY  AND  PHYSIOLOGY 

Anatomy  seems  to  have  appeared  first  in  the  returns  of  Edgar- 
town  for  i837.98  It  was  found  also  in  the  returns  of  Dartmouth 
for  1839-40."  Under  that  head,  however,  the  subject  is  found 
in  the  curricula  of  but  seven  towns  out  of  the  selected  group  of 
sixty-three  up  to  1 860-61. 10°  In  general  it  soon  gave  way  to  the 
subject  of  physiology.  This  subject  appeared  first  in  the  returns 
of  Ipswich  for  i839-4O.101  Up  to  1840-41,  however,  neither 
anatomy  or  physiology  was  taught  in  more  than  two  or  three 
towns.102  Within  the  decade  1840-50  numerous  towns  took  up 
the  subject  of  physiology  so  that  by  1845  Horace  Mann  was  able 
to  say,  "Human  Physiology, — a  Knowledge  of  the  laws  and 
conditions  of  Health  and  Life, — is  now  becoming  common  in  the 
better  class  of  schools,  throughout  the  state."103  By  the  law 

95  Cf.  p.  82, 

96  Cf.  p.  go. 
wC£/p.  93- 

98  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1837. 

99  Id.  for  1839-40,  p.  377- 
MO  Cf.  p.  82. 

101  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1839-40,  p.  22. 

Ifl2  Cf.  p.  75. 

103  Eighth  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board,  1845,  p.   107. 


124  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

of  i85o,104  it  was  provided  that  "Physiology  and  hygiene  shall 
hereafter  be  taught  in  all  the  public  schools  of  this  Common- 
wealth in  all  cases  in  which  the  school  committee  shall  deem 
it  expedient."  By  the  law  of  i858,105  physiology  and  hygiene 
were  required  in  the  common  schools,  but  in  i859106  they  were 
again  made  permissive  for  all  schools.  The  subject  evidently 
increased  in  popularity  for  by  1 860-61  forty-six  of  the  sixty- 
three  towns  in  the  selected  group  had  included  the  subject  in  the 
curricula  of  their  high  schools.107  According  to  the  figures  of 
Horace  Mann  in  1842  four  hundred  sixteen  students  in  the  state 
were  engaged  in  the  study  of  "  Human  Physiology."108  Some 
figures  concerning  the  number  of  students  pursuing  the  subject 
in  various  towns  are  presented  in  Tables  XXVII  -  XXXII.109 
Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  Physiology  and  Anatomy 
were:  Comstock,  John  L.,  "Outlines  of  Physiology";  Cutter, 
Calvin,  "Anatomy,  Physiology  and  Hygiene,"  First  Book  on 
Anatomy  and  Physiology  " ;  Griscom,  J.  H.,  "  Physiology  " ; 
Hamilton,  G.,  "  Elements  of  Physiology  " ;  Hooker,  W.,  "  First 
Book  in  Physiology,"  "Physiology  and  Hygiene  for  High  Schools" ; 
Jarvis,  Edward,  "  Practical  Physiology,"  "  Physiology,"  "  Prim- 
ary Physiology " ;  Lambert,  T.  S.,  "  First,  Second  and  Third 
Books  in  Anatomy  and  Physiology  " ;  Taylor  Jane,  "  Elements  of 
Physiology,"  "Physiology  for  Children." 

13.    NATURAL  HISTORY  AND  ZOOLOGY 

From  the  returns  at  hand  it  would  seem  that  Natural  History 
under  that  name  first  made  its  appearance  as  a  public  school  sub- 
ject in  Massachusetts  in  the  course  of  study  of  the  Boston  English 
High  School  for  1833  where  Smellie's  "  Philosophy  of  Natural 
History"  and  some  other  subjects  were  "  allowed  in  the  first  class 
if  the  master  think  proper  to  introduce  them."110  In  1837  Lynn- 
field  claimed  to  offer  the  subject  in  its  school  U1  and  in  1840-41 
Roxbury  and  Nantucket  offered  it.112  Altogether,  previous  to 

104  Acts  and  Resolves,  1850,  Chap.  229. 

105  Id.  1858,  Chap.  5. 
ioc  id.  1859,  Chap.  38. 

107  Cf.  p.  82. 

108  Cf.  p.  87. 

m  Cf   pp.  88-93. 

110  Regulations  of  the  School  Committee  of  Boston  for  1833,  Chap.  IV, 
sect.  10. 

111  Returns  for  Lynnfield  in  the  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1837. 
m  Returns  for  these  towns  in  the  Abstract  of  School  Returns  for  1840-1. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  125 

1840-41,  probably  not  more  than  six  or  seven  towns  included 
natural  history  in  the  curricula  of  their  schools.113  By  1860-61 
some  twenty  towns  offered  the  subject.114 

Zoology  as  a  separate  study  under  that  name  is  found  first  in 
the  course  of  study  of  the  Waltham  school  for  i849-5O.115  By 
1 860-6 1  it  had  found  a  place  in  the  curricula  of  eighteen  towns  of 
the  selected  group  considered  in  Table  XX.116 

Neither  natural  history  nor  zoology  were  ever  required  by  law 
to  be  taught  in  Massachusetts  and  no  requirements  for  them  were 
ever  made  for  entrance  to  college. 

Text-books  used  in  the  teaching  of  these  sciences  were: 
Smellie,  William,  "  Philosophy  of  Natural  History " ;  Smith, 
Henry  H.  and  Homer,  W.  E.,  "  Anatomical  Atlas  " ;  Ware,  John, 
"  Philosophy  of  Natural  History " ;  Agassiz,  Louis  and  Gould, 
Augustus  A.,  "  Principles  of  Zoology." 

14.     OTHER  PHYSICAL  SCIENCES:  SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 

In  addition  to  the  more  prominent  subjects  of  study  in  the 
field  of  physical  science  treated  above,  several  other  departments 
of  that  branch  of  learning  appeared  occasionally  in  the  curricula 
of  the  high  schools  of  various  towns. 

Mineralogy  appeared  first  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Northampton 
High  School  at  least  as  early  as  i837,117  but  from  the  report  it 
seems  that  there  was  no  class  in  that  subject.  The  next  appearance 
seems  to  be  in  the  case  of  the  Concord  High  School  in  185 1-2.118 
By  1 860-61  mineralogy  had  found  a  place  in  the  high  schools  of 
some  six  towns  at  various  dates.119  No  text-book  is  mentioned. 

Meteorology  first  appeared  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Springfield 
High  School  in  i852.120  It  appeared  in  other  places  as  follows1: 
Danvers  1855  (Report,  p.  6)  ;  Salem  1854  (Report,  p.  13)  ;  Nan- 
tucket.  In  Springfield  in  1855  over  forty-two  per  cent,  of 
the  students  pursued  the  subject.121  This  was,  of  course,  unusual 

113  Cf  p.  75- 
I"  Cf  p.  82. 

us  \Valtham  report  for  1849-50,  p.  4. 
™  Cf.  p.  82. 

17  Northampton  report  for  1837,  p.  15. 
118  Concord  report  for  1851-2,  p.  3. 
"9  Cf.  p.  82. 

120  Springfield  report  for  1852,  p.  10. 

121  Cf   p.  93-    ' 


126  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

and  in  the  following  year  the  number  dropped  to  about  ten  per 
cent.  The  text-book  regularly  used  was  Brocklesby,  John, 
"  Elements  of  Meteorology." 

Higher  mathematics  and  engineering  appeared  in  the  curriculum 
of  the  English  High  School  of  Boston  for  i852,122  and  in  that 
of  the  Medford  High  School  for  i854-55.123  No  other  high  school 
made  a  special  study  of  these  subjects  before  1861  in  Massa- 
chusetts. 

Technology  was  found  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Concord  High 
School  for  i85i-52.124  Household  science  was  taught  in  Spring- 
field in  i86i.125  Blair's  "  Elements  of  the  Arts  and  Sciences  "  was 
used  in  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  by 
I823-24.126 

Scientific  Apparatus 

While  the  apparatus  illustrating  natural  philosophy,  chemistry, 
and  other  sciences,  which  was  available  to  the  students  of  the 
high  schools  during  the  early  period  considered  in  this  discussion, 
was  rather  limited  when  compared  with  the  apparatus  which  is 
available  to-day,  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  work  in  the 
natural  sciences  was  carried  on  without  some  use  of  the  neces- 
sary apparatus.  In  most  high  schools  there  was  little  in  the  way 
of  apparatus,  and  of  this  lack  there  is  constant  complaint  on  the 
part  of  the  school  committees  in  their  reports.  Many  high 
schools,  however,  did  possess  a  fairly  complete  set  of  scientific 
apparatus.  An  unusual  case  was  that  of  the  Worcester  High 
school.  In  the  report  of  the  school  committee  of  that  town  for 
1848  on  pages  18  and  following,  there  is  given  a  list  of  the 
apparatus  at  the  disposal  of  the  school  which  comprises  one 
hundred  sixty-one  items  ranging  from  a  small  jar  costing  twenty 
cents  to  a  refracting  telescope  purchased  at  a  cost  of  two  hundred 
dollars. 

15.     ENGLISH 

The  study  of  English  grammar,  English  literature,  and  the 
allied  branches  had  no  place  in  the  formal  curriculum  of  the 

122  Rules  and  Regulations  for  1852,  Chap.  IV,  sect.  9. 

123  Medford  report  for  1854-5,  p.  6. 

124  Concord  report  for  1851-2,  p.  3. 

125  Springfield  report  for  1861,  p.  44. 
™  Cf.  p.  17. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  127 

colonial  Latin  grammar  school.  By  the  law  of  1647  reading  and 
writing  were  provided  for  in  the  lower  school  in  all  towns  con- 
taining fifty  householders  or  over.127  The  law  of  1789  provided 
that  in  the  lower  schools  teachers  were  "  to  teach  children  to 
read  and  write,  and  to  instruct  them  in  the  English  language."  128 
By  this  latter  law  it  was  also  provided  that  the  masters  of  the 
Latin  grammar  schools  were  to  be  of  competent  ability  to  teach 
the  higher  subjects  in  addition  to  the  common  school  subjects. 
There  is  no  evidence  to  show  that  any  of  the  strictly  English 
branches  ever  appeared  as  a  formal  subject  in  the  curriculum  of 
the  public  secondary  school  of  Massachusetts  previous  to  the 
nineteenth  century. 

In  the  academy  the  study  of  English  appears  to  have  assumed 
a  more  prominent  position.  In  the  constitution  of  the  Phillips 
Andover  Academy  the  study  of  the  English  language  was  evidently 
put  on  a  par  with  that  of  the  classics  and  the  "  Art  of  Speaking  " 
was  there  included.  In  the  early  course  of  the  Leicester  Academy 
provision  was  made  for  a  separate  "  teacher  of  English,  Writing, 
Arithmetic,  etc."  129 

In  the  case  of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School  the  regulations 
for  I789,130  and  those  for  about  the  year  1800,  give  no  indica- 
tion of  the  study  of  English  in  that  school.  At  about  that  time, 
however,  we  know  that  provision  was  made  in  Boston  for  some 
work  in  the  field  of  English  for  the  scholars  of  the  grammar 
school  by  permitting  them  to  attend  some  English  public  or 
private  school  for  writing,  etc.131  The  account  of  the  Boston 
Latin  School  given  by  Gould,  headmaster  1814-1828,  contains 
no  mention  of  the  study  of  the  English  branches  except  declama- 
tion,132 but  in  the  regulations  of  the  school  committee  of  Boston 
for  the  year  1826  the  curriculum  of  that  institution  contained: 
for  the  first  year,  reading  English  ;  for  the  second  to  the  fourth  years, 
declamation,  reading,  English  grammar;  for  the  fourth  year, 
English  composition,  forensic  discussions.133  Previous  to  this  the 


12?  Cf.  p.   24. 

™  Ci.  p.  25. 

1®  Cf.  p.    12. 

130  Cf.   p.   2. 

131  Jenks,  Henry  K,  Boston  Public  Latin  School,  p.  43. 
32Jenks,  as  above,  pp.  60  ff. 

133  Boston  regulations  for  1826,  pp.  7  ff. 


128  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

English  Classical  (High)  School  had  been  founded  in  Boston  in 
1821.  Its  first  program  providd  for  "Composition,  Reading  from 
the  most  approved  authors,  Exercises  in  Criticism;  comprising 
analysis  of  the  language,  grammar,  style  of  the  best  authors, 
their  errors  and  beauties."  134  Here  we  have  the  real  beginning 
of  the  study  of  English  as  a  formal  study  in  the  public  secondary 
school  of  Massachusetts  and  from  this  time  on  the  study  of  the 
branches  of  English  constantly  gained  ground. 

It  has  been  stated  above  that  English  grammar,  etc.,  did  not 
appear  as  a  formal  subject  in  the  curriculum  of  the  colonial 
Latin  grammar  school.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that 
no  work  was  done  along  that  line  in  that  institution.  The  study 
of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  necessarily  involved  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  practice  and  training  in  the  English  language 
and  grammar.  Entrance  to  the  Latin  grammar  school  presup- 
posed and  commonly  required  a  knowledge  of  English  grammar 
to  a  certain  extent  and  the  ability  to  read,  write,  and  parse  in 
English,  and  the  theory  of  the  grammar  school  was  that  a 
knowledge  of  the  structure  and  usage  of  the  English  language 
was  to  be  gained  through  the  study  of  the  classics. 

By  the  law  of  1827,  English  grammar  and  language  were  left 
as  a  requirement  for  the  elementary  schools,135  and  English  never 
became  a  legal  requirement  for  the  high  schools  except  that 
rhetoric  was  required  in  towns  of  four  thousand  inhabitants  or 
over.  The  subject  of  rhetoric  will  be  treated  separately  on 
pages  131-132.  Harvard  College  did  not  require  any  English 
for  admission  until  1 865-66. 136  At  Williams  College  and  Amherst 
grammar  was  required  as  early  as  i829.137 

The  reports  given  in  the  Abstracts  of  Massachusetts  School 
Returns  for  1834-41,  indicate  that  the  study  of  English  grammar 
in  some  form  and  the  reading  of  selections  of  English  were 
almost  universal.  As  there  were  not  more  than  eighteen  high 
schools  in  existence  in  the  state  at  that  time  this  must  mean 
that  the  elementary  schools  were  devoting  their  attention  rather 
extensively  to  the  study  of  English.  Undoubtedly  all  of  the  high 
schools  then  existent  covered  some  or  all  of  the  various  branches 

»*  Cf.  p.  16. 

&  Cf.  p.  27. 

136  Harvard  Catalog  for  1865-6,  p.  26. 

137  Quarterly  Register  and  Journal,  I,  1829,  p.  228. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  129 

of  English,  but  the  lack  of  good  gradation  in  many  schools  makes 
it  difficult  to  estimate  the  exact  status  of  the  subjects  at  that 
period.  For  instance  much  that  would  now  be  classed  under 
the  head  of  English  literature  was  at  that  time  taught  only  in 
the  readers  employed. 

The  extent  to  which  the  various  branches  of  English  were 
studied  in  the  high  schools  in  1860-61  may  be  seen  from  the  figures 
given  in  table  XX.138  The  studies  of  reading,  writing,  spelling, 
grammar,  composition,  rhetoric  and  declamation  were  found  at 
that  time  in  the  courses  of  almost  all  the  high  schools  con- 
sidered in  that  select  group  of  sixty-three  towns,  and  there  can 
be  little  doubt  that  if  the  reports  gave  complete  data,  we  should 
find  most  of  those  subjects  in  all  high  schools.  The  study  of 
English  literature  is  specifically  mentioned  under  that  head  in 
but  thirty-two  towns  out  of  the  sixty-three  considered,  but  it 
was  taught  in  many  more  towns  in  some  form  or  other,  if  only 
in  the  readers. 

An  unusual  case  was  that  of  the  Plymouth  High  School  where 
in  1857  the  report  of  the  superintendent  of  schools  indicates  a 
rather  extensive  course  of  study  in  some  branches  of  English: 
"Also,  for  all  the  members  of  the  school,  through  the  whole 
course,  exercises  in  Reading,  Spelling,  Enunciation,  Definition, 
Analysis  and  Abstracts,  oral  and  written,  Conversations,  Journal- 
ism, Composition,  and  Declamation."  139 

The  general  nature  of  the  work  done  in  English  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts high  school  for  the  period  under  consideration  in  this 
discussion  can  best  be  seen  from  an  examination  of  some  of  the 
text-books  which  were  in  common  use.  These  are  mentioned 
below. 

Grammars:  Alger,  Israel,  Jr.,  "  Murray's  Large  Grammar  "  ; 
Brown,  Gould,  "Institutes  of  English  Grammar,"  "First  Lines 
of  English  Grammar";  Bullion,  Peter,  "New,  or  Analytical 
Practical  English  Grammar,"  "  Analytical  and  Practical  Grammar 
of  the  English  Grammar,"  "  Principles  of  English  Grammar " ; 
Fowler,  William  C,  "The  English  Grammar  in  its  Elements 
and  Forms";  Frost,  John,  "Elements  of  English  Grammar"- 
Greene,  Samuel  S.,  "First  Lessons  in  Grammar,"  "Grammar 
for  Children,"  "Practical  Grammar,"  "Inductive  Grammar"; 

133  ££   p.   82.  i 

139  Report  of  the  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Plymouth',  1857,  p.  53- 


7 


130  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Kerl,  Simon,  "  Comprehensive  Grammar,"  "  Elementary  Gram- 
mar " ;  Latham,  Robert,  "  Elementary  English  Grammar " ; 
Latham,  Robert  G.,  "  Handbook  of  the  English  Lan- 
guage " ;  Murray,  Lindley,  "  English  Grammar "  (ed.  by 
Bacon,  Fisk,  Alger,  Hallowwell,  Collins,  Wallis,  Pond)  ;  Smith, 
Roswell  C,  "  Productive  English  Grammar,"  "  Intellectual  and 
Practical  Grammar";  Tower,  David  B.  and  Tweed,  Benj.  F., 
"  First  Lessons  in  Language,"  "  Lessons  in  English  Grammar," 
"Grammar  of  Composition";  Wells,  William  H.,  "School 
English  Grammar." 

Readers:  Daggett,  H.,  "  American  School  Reader  " ;  Hilla-rd, 
George  S.,  "  A  Series  of  Readers " ;  Lowell,  Mrs.  Anna  C., 
"  Gleanings  from  the  Poets " ;  Mandeville,  Henry,  "  Course  of 
Reading  for  Common  Schools " ;  Parker,  Richard  and  Watson, 
J.  M.,  "National  Readers";  Porter,  Ebenezer,  "Rhetorical 
Reader  " ;  Russell,  William  and  Goldsbury,  J.,  "  American  Com- 
mon School  Reader  and  Speaker " ;  Russell,  William,  "  Young 
Ladies'  Elocutionary  Reader " ;  Sargent,  Epes,  "  Standard 
Readers  " ;  Swan,  William  D.,  "  District  School  Reader  "  ;  Tower, 
David  B.,  "  Gradual  Reader." 

Compendia  of  Literature:  Chamber,  Robert,  "  Cyclopedia  of 
English  Literature " ;  Cleveland,  Charles  D.,  "  Compendium  of 
English  Literature";  Gray,  "History  of  the  English  Lan- 
guage " ;  Hillard,  George  S.,  "  English  Literature  and 
Biography";  Shaw,  Thomas  B.,  "Outlines  of  English  Litera- 
ture"; Spalding,  William,  "History  of  English  Literature." 

Composition,  Pronunciation,  Synonyms,  etc.:  Graham,  George 
F.,  "English  Synonyms";  Greene,  Samuel  S.,  "Analysis  of 
English  Grammar";  Lovel'l,  J.  E.,  "United  States  Speaker •"; 
Lynd,  James,  "Class-book  of  Etymology,"  "The  First  Book 
of  Etymology " ;  Murdock,  J.  F.,  and  Russell,  William,  "  Ortho- 
phony";  Parker,  Richard  G.,  "Aids  to  English  Composition," 
"  Progressive  Exercises  in  English  Composition  " ;  Quackenbos, 
G.  P.,  "Composition";  Stearns,  E.  J.,  "Practical  Guide  to 
English  Pronunciation  "  ;  "  Scholar's  Companion." 

Dictionaries:    Walker;   Worcester;  Webster. 

Authors  mentioned:  Bryant;  Campbell,  "Pleasures  of 
Hope";  Cooper,  "The  Task";  Everett,  "Orations,";  Gold- 
smith ;  Gray ;  Hayne,  "  Orations  "  ;  Longfellow ;  Milton,  "Para- 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  131 

disc  Lost";  Pope;  Scott;  Shakespeare;  Tennyson;  Thompson, 
"The  Seasons";  Webster,  "Orations";  Young,  "Night 
Thoughts." 

1 6.  RHETORIC 

Rhetoric  as  a  formal  study  first  found  its  way  into  the  curricu- 
lum of  the  Massachusetts  secondary  schools  through  the  academy ; 
e.  g.,  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Pittsfield  Academy  for  i822140  and 
in  that  of  the  Leicester  for  i824.141  In  the  public  schools  it  was 
found  first  in  the  curriculum  of  the  English  Classical  (High) 
School  of  Boston  for  i823-4142  although  the  subject  was  covered 
in  part  by  the  English  studies  required  in  the  first  program  of  that 
institution.143  In  the  curriculum  of  the  High  School  for  Girls 
of  Boston  it  was  found  in  the  first  course  of  study  in  i826.144  It 
did  not  appear  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School 
until  i829.145 

By  the  law  of  1827  rhetoric  was  made  obligatory  in  the  high 
schools  of  towns  containing  four  thousand  inhabitants  or  over. 
This  requirement  remained  in  force  throughout  the  period  con- 
sidered in  this  discussion.146  By  1834  nine  towns  claimed  to  offer 
instruction  in  the  subject  under  its  special  title  and  by  1840-41 
eighteen  towns  claimed  to  offer  the  subject.147  By  1860-61  forty- 
seven  towns  out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  had  included 
rhetoric  in  their  high  schools148  and  82.5  per  cent,  of  the  towns 
required  by  law  to  offer  the  subject  had  complied  with  the 
statute.149 

According  to  the  figures  given  by  Horace  Mann  in  1842  some 
six  hundred  one  students  were  pursuing  the  subject  in  the  state.150 
Some  figures  for  later  dates  are  given  in  Tables  XXVII- 
XXXII.151  From  these  figures  it  appears  that,  while  many  towns 
contained  the  subject  in  their  curricula,  the  proportion  of  stu- 

*»Cf.  p.    12. 

141  Cf.  p.    12. 
1*2  Cf.  p.    17. 

143  Cf.  p.  17. 

*44  Cf.   p.    IQ. 

145  Boston  report  for  1829,  p.  2. 
M»  Cf.  p.  72. 

147  Cf.  p.  75. 

148  Cf.  p.  82. 

149  Cf.  p.  86. 

150  Cf.  p.  87. 

isi  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 


132  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

dents  studying  rhetoric  as  a  formal  subject  was  not  very  great  if 
the  data  there  presented  represent  the  state  of  affairs  correctly. 
It  is  to  be  remembered,  however,  that  in  many  cases  rhetoric  may 
have  been  included  under  other  heads,  such  as  grammar,  composi- 
tion, etc. 

Formal  rhetoric  usually  covered  two  years  of  the  high  school 
course.  Its  position  was  commonly  in  the  second  or  third  year 
of  the  course  or  in  both.152 

The  character  of  the  work  can  best  be  seen  by  examining  any  one 
of  the  text-books  in  common  use.  These  were:  Blair,  Hugh, 
"Lectures -on  Rhetoric";  Jamieson,  Alexander,  "Grammar  of 
Rhetoric  " ;  Newman,  Samuel  Phillip,  "  Practical  System  of  Rhe- 
toric "  ;  Whateley,  Richard,  (Elements  of)  "  Rhetoric  "  ;  Quacken- 
bos,  G.  P.,  "  Composition  and  Rhetoric." 

Other  books  used  were:  Boyd,  J.  R.,  "Elements  of  Rhetoric 
and  Literary  Criticism  " ;  Campbell,  Geo.,  "  Philosophy  of  Rhe- 
toric"; Day,  Henry  N.,  "Elements  of  the  Art  of  Rhetoric"; 
(Home,  Henry)  Lord  Kane,  "Elements  of  Criticism";  Parker, 
Richard  G.,  "Aids  to  English  Composition,"  et  al. ;  Willard, 
Samuel,  "  Rhetoric." 

17.     FRENCH 

In  the  constitution  of  the  Phillips  Andover  Academy  provision 
was  made  for  the  teaching  of  languages  other  than  the  English, 
Latin,  and  Greek  languages  at  the  discretion  of  the  trustees.153 
If  advantage  was  taken  of  this  provision  during  the  early  years  of 
the  academy  mention  of  it  has  escaped  the  writer.  The  curricu- 
lum of  its  sister  academy  at  Exeter  for  1818  did  not  contain 
French.154  Before  1828  French  was  taught  in  the  Leicester 
Academy.155  In  the  High  School  for  Girls  of  Boston  in  1826 
French  was  made  an  optional  study  during  the  last  two  years  of 
the  course.156  In  the  English  High  School  of  Boston  French  was 
not  mentioned  in  the  regulations  until  i836157  though  it  has  been 
claimed  that  it  was  introduced  in  i832.158  French  was  not  re- 
quired by  law  to  be  taught  in  the  high  schools  until  1857  when  it 

is?  cf.  p.  94. 
*»  Cf.  p.  12. 
15*  Belli,  loc.  cit.  on  p.  116. 

155  Cf.  p.    12. 

156  Cf.  p.  19. 

157  Regulations,  p.  19. 

v*Amer.  Jour,  of  Ed.  19,  p.  485. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  133 

was  made  obligatory  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  containing  four 
thousand  inhabitants  and  over.159  It  was  never  required  for  en- 
trance to  college  within  the  period  considered  in  this  discussion. 

The  figures  given  in  Table  XVIII160  indicate  that  up  to  1840-41 
French  had  not  assumed  a  position  of  any  importance  in  the  high 
schools  of  the  state,  not  more  than  five  towns  claiming  to  offer  the 
subject  up  to  that  date.  Subsequent  to  that  time,  however,  French 
began  to  gain  in  importance,  taking  the  place  of  Greek  as  a  study 
in  the  English  high  schools,  and  especially  in  the  girls'  high  schools. 
By  1860-61  some  fifty-five  towns,  out  of  the  selected  group  of 
sixty-three  towns,  offered  French,161  and  of  the  towns  in  that  group 
required  by  law  to  teach  French  in  their  high  schools  over  ninety- 
two  per  cent,  had  complied  with  the  mandate  of  the  law.162  The 
number  of  students  in  various  towns  pursuing  the  study  of  French 
is  indicated  to  some  extent  in  the  Tables  XXVII-XXXIL163  It 
may  be  noted  that  a  relatively  large  number  devoted  themselves  to 
that  study.  In  the  Lowell  High  School  for  the  three  years  1849- 
1851  the  percentage  of  boys  pursuing  the  subject  was  about  three 
per  cent.,  as  compared  with  fifty-nine  per  cent,  of  the  girls.164 
This,  however,  must  not  be  taken  as  a  standard. 

Some  of  the  text-books  read  were : 

Grammars,  Readers,  etc. :  Chapsal,  Gabriel  P.  and  Noel,  Francois, 
J.  M.,  "  Lemons  d'Analyse  Grammaticale " ;  Fowle,  William  B., 
"  First  French  Class-Book " ;  Felton,  "  Elementary  French 
Reader";  Collot,  Alexandre  G.,  "Dramatic  French  Reader," 
"  French  Dialogues,"  "  Progressive  French  Dialogues  and 
Phrases  " ;  Chouquet,  Gustave,  "  French  Conversations  and  Dia- 
logues " ;  Fasquelle,  Louis,  "  Juvenile  French  Course,"  "  French 
Reader";  Gengembre,  R.  W.,  "Practical  French  Instructor"; 
Le  Fias,  "  Classic  French  Reader  " ;  Levizac,  Jean  P.  V.,  "  Theo- 
retical and  Practical  Grammar  of  French"  (ed.  Bolmar,  A.)* 
Longfellow,  Henry  W.  (and  Marshall),  "French  Grammar"; 
Nason,  "French  Reading  Book";  Ollendorf,  Heinrich  G., 
"  French  Grammar,  New  Method  adapted  to  the  French,"  "  New 
Method  of  Learning  French  " ;  Perrin,  John,  "  French  Fables," 

»  Cf.  p.  32. 
160  Cf.  p.  75. 
lei  Cf.  p.  82. 

162  Cf.  p.  86. 

163  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 
i6*  Cf.  p.  91. 


134  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

ft  French  Grammar,"  "  Grammar  of  the  French  Tongue  " ;  Pinney, 
Norman,  "  The  Progressive  French  Reader,"  "  Elementary  French 
Reader,"  "  Practical  French  Teacher,"  "  First  Lessons  in  French  "  ; 
Roemer,  J.,  "  First  and  Second  French  Readers  " ;  Robertson,  T., 
"  New  System  of  Teaching  the  French  Language  "  ;  Surault,  Fran- 
901*8  M.  J.,  "  Practical  Grammar  of  the  French  Language." 

Dictionaries:  Boyer,  Abel;  Flemming  and  Tibbin;  Meadows, 
F.  C. ;  Spiers,  Alexander  and  Surenne,  Gabriel  (also  ed.  by  Quack- 
enbos,  G.  P.,  and  Jewett,  J.  L.). 

Books  read:  "  Etudes  de  la  Nature  " ;  "  Rowan  "  ;  "  Nouvelles 
Genevoises  " ;  "Le  Courrier  des,  Etats  Unis  "  ;  "  Paul  et  Vir- 
ginie";  "La  Petite  Fadette";  "Le  Grandpere";  "  H'enriade  " ; 
"L'Historie  des  Etats  Unis";  "  Le  Coin  du  Feu";  "Vie  de 
Washington  " ;  "  Piciolla  " ;  "  Seige  de  la  Rochelle  "  ;  "  De  L'Alle- 
magne";  Siecle  de  Louis  XIV";  "Charles  XII";  "  Andro- 
maque";  "Iphigenie";  "  I^a  Thebaide";  "  Les  Plaideurs"; 
"Athalie  " ;  "  L'Orient  " ;  "  Philosophies  d'Antiquite  "  ;  "  Guillaume 
Tell";  "Telemaque";  "Corinne";  "Napoleon";  "Histoire  de 
France." 

Other  texts:  Bolmar,  A.,  "Colloquial  Phrases";  Bossuet, 
"  French  Words  and  Phrase-Book  " ;  Bugard,  B.  F.,  "  Practical 
French  Translator  " ;  Collot,  Alexandre  G.,  "  Anecdotes  and  Ques- 
tions in  French  " ;  De  la  Porte,  "  French  Speaking  Exercises  " ; 
Talbot,  Guillaume  H.,  "  Philosophy  of  French  Pronunciation." 

iS.     SPANISH  :    ITALIAN  :    GERMAN 

With  the  exception  of  French  the  modern  languages  did  not 
occupy  a  very  prominent  position  in  the  high  schools  of  Massachu- 
setts before  the  Civil  War.  Altogether  by  1 860-61  Spanish  had 
appeared  in  the  curricula  of  four  schools,  Italian  in  two,  and  Ger- 
man in  six.165 

Spanish  appeared  in  the  high  school  field  first  in  Salem,  where 
it  was  found  at  least  as  early  as  1830  and  perhaps  earlier.166  Sub- 
sequent to  that  time  it  appeared  irregularly  in  various  reports  of 
that  town.167  Spanish  was  also  introduced  into  the  English  Higfi 

165  Cf.  p.  82. 

166  Salem  report  for  1830,  pp.  4  ff.     Cf.  Catalog  of  the  late  English  High 
School  of  Salem,  1857,  pp.  3  ff.,  where  an  account  is  given  by  Henry  K. 
Oliver,  the  first  teacher  in  the  school. 

167  Cf.  Salem  report  for  1857,  pp.  2  ff.  for  example 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  135 

School  of  Boston  as  early  as  i856.168  In  the  Sommerville  High 
School  it  was  taught  in  i853.169  In  the  Medford  school  commit- 
tee report  for  1854-5  in  the  course  of  study  given  on  pages  6  ff. 
this  statement  is  found :  "  The  Spanish,  Italian,  and  German  Lan- 
guages may  be  commenced  by  such  pupils  as  in  the  judgment  of 
the  Master  have  acquired  a  competent  knowledge  of  the  French." 

Italian  first  appears  in  the  high  school  course  of  study  in  Massa- 
chusetts in  the  Brighton  High  School  in  i843.170     It  was  also, 
taught  in  the  Medford  High  School  as  indicated  above.     No  other 
towns  appear  to  have  offered  the  subject. 

German  first  appeared  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Massachusetts 
High  School  in  Dorchester  in  i854.171  In  the  report  of  the  school 
committee  of  Wayland  for  1854-5  German  was  included  in  the 
proposed  course  of  study  but  there  is  no  evidence  to  show  that  it 
actually  was  taught.172  In  1855  eight  students  of  German  were 
reported  in  the  Newburyport  High  Schools.173  In  the  same  year 
it  appeared  in  the  course  of  study  of  the  Nantucket  High  School,174 
and  in  1858  it  was  found  in  the  Lawrence  High  School.175  Its 
adoption  in  the  Medford  High  School  has  been  mentioned  above. 

The  text-books  mentioned  were :  Adler,  Geo.  J.,  "  German 
Reader,"  "  Progressive  German  Reader  " ;  "  Grimm,  Jacob  L.  C, 
and  William,  Karl,  "  Kinder-und-Haus-Marchen  "  ;  Woodbury,  W. 
H.,  "  German  Reader,"  "  Manual  of  the  German  Language," 
"  Shorter  Course  with  the  German  Language." 

19.    LOGIC 

The  first  constitution  of  the  Phillips  Andover  Academy  called 
for  the  teaching  of  logic  in  that  institution,  and  this  represents  the 
first  introduction  of  that  subject  into  the  field  of  secondary  educa- 
tion in  Massachusetts.176  In  the  public  school  logic  first  appeared 
in  the  program  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston 
in  1 82 1.177  In  the  first  course  of  study  of  the  High  School  for 

168  Cf.  Boston  report  for  1853,  Chap.  IV.  sect.  9. 

169  Sommerville  Rules  and  Regulations  for  1853. 

170  Brighton  reports  for  1843,  P-  4,  and  for  1844,  P-  7- 

171  Dorchester  report  for  1854,  p.  14. 
72  Wayland  report  for  1854-5,  p.  3. 

173  Newburyport  report  for  1855,  p.  8. 

174  Nantucket  report  for  1855,  p.  g. 

175  Lawrence  report  for  1858,  pp.  73  ff. 
i76'  Cf.  p.  12. 

177  Cf.  p.  17. 


136  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Girls  of  Boston  the  subject  was  made  optional  in  any  of  the  three 
classes.178  By  the  law  of  1827  logic  was  made  obligatory  in  the 
high  schools  of  towns  containing  four  thousand  inhabitants  or  over 
and  this  requirement  remained  in  force  until  i898.179  In  1834  the 
returns  showed  but  two  towns  which  claimed  to  offer  the  subject 
in  their  schools  and  the  largest  number  up  to  1840-41  was  seven  in 
i839-4O.180  By  1860-61  logic  was  found  in  the  curriculum  of  but 
twenty-two  high  schools  out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three 
towns  and  of  the  high  schools  in  which  the  subject  was  required  by 
law  only  about  forty-five  per  cent,  of  the  high  schools  had  obeyed 
the  mandate  of  the  law.181  In  1842,  according  to  the  returns  of 
Horace  Mann,  but  three  hundred  thirty  pupils  in  the  state  were 
engaged  in  the  study  of  logic.182  During  the  period  1849-51  not  a 
single  student  studied  logic  in  the  Lowell  High  School,183  and  the 
same  was  the  case  in  the  Springfield  High  School  during  the  period 
1855-61. 184  Altogether  the  subject  never  received  the  support  in 
the  schools  which  the  law  had  designed.  The  position  of  the  sub- 
ject in  the  course  of  study  was  regularly  in  the  third  or  fourth 
year.185 

The  text-books  in  common  use  were :  Coppee,  H.,  "  Elements 
of  Logic  " ;  Hedge,  Levi,  "  Elements  of  Logick  "  ;  Whateley,  Rich- 
ard, "Lessons  on  Reasoning,"  "Easy  Lessons  on  Reasoning," 
"  Elements  of  Logic." 

20.  BOOKKEEPING 

Bookkeeping  was  introduced  into  the  field  of  secondary  educa- 
tion by  the  academy.186  Its  first  appearance  in  the  public  school 
was  in  the  program  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Bos- 
ton for  i823~4,187  where  it  was  prescribed  for  the  third  or  lowest 
class  as  "  Book-keeping,  by  Single  and  Double  Entry."  By  the 
law  of  1827  it  was  made  a  required  subject  in  the  high  schools  of 
all  towns  containing  five  hundred  families  or  over  and  it  remained 

178  Cf.  p.  19. 

179  Cf.  p.  72. 
m  Cf.  p.  75. 

181  Cf.  pp.  83-86. 

182  Cf.  p.  87. 

183  Cf.  p.  91. 

184  Cf.  p.  93. 

185  Cf.  p.  94- 

186  Cf.  p.  13. 

187  Cf.  p.  17. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  137 


among  those  requirements  until  the  law  of  iSgS.188  Notwithstand- 
ing this  legal  support,  however,  as  late  as  1834  the  returns  indi- 
cate but  one  town  claiming  to  offer  the  subject.  By  1838-39  the 
number  had  increased  to  seventeen  and  in  1840-41  twenty-one 
towns  claimed  to  offer  bookkeeping  in  the  public  schools.189  By 
1  860-61  it  had  appeared  in  the  curricula  of  fifty-five  towns  out  of  the 
selected  group  of  sixty-three  and  over  eighty-seven  per  cent,  of  the 
towns  required  by  law  to  provide  the  subject  in  the  high  schools 
met  the  requirements.190 

In  1842  Horace  Mann  reported  that  1472  students  in  the  state 
were  engaged  in  the  study  of  bookkeeping.191  The  number  pursu- 
ing the  subject  in  various  towns  and  at  various  periods  is  indi- 
cated in  Tables  XXVII-XXXII.192  The  position  of  the  subject 
in  the  course  of  study  varied  in  the  different  towns.193 

The  text-books  in  use  for  the  teaching  of  bookkeeping  were: 
Batchelder,  Jacob,  "National  Accountant";  Bennet,  J.,  "Book- 
keeping "  ;  Clarke,  "  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Coffin,  James  H.,  "  Exercises 
in  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Crittenden,  S.  W.,  "  Elementary  Treatise  on 
Bookkeeping  for  Single  and  Double  Entry  "  ;  Cutter,  "  Bookkeep- 
ing"; "Duntonian  System  of  Bookkeeping";  Foster,  Benj.  R, 
"  Practical  System  of  Bookkeeping  by  Single  Entry,"  "  Concise 
Treatise  on  Commercial  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Fulton,  Levi  S.,  and 
Eastman,  Geo.  W.,  Practical  System  of  Bookkeeping  by  Single 
and  Double  Entry  "  ;  Hanniford  &  Payson,  "  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Har- 
ris, Nicholas,  "  First  Lessons  in  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Hayden,  "  Com- 
mon School  Account  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Hitchcock,  E.,  "  Bookkeep- 
ing "  ;  Hitchcock,  Irvine,  "  Bookkeeping  :  Journal  and  Ledger  "  ; 
Jones,  Thomas,  "  Principles  and  Practice  of  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Mar- 
shall, "  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Mayhew,  Ira,  "  Practical  Bookkeeping  "  ; 
Northend,  C,  "  Bookkeeping  "  ;  Preston,  Lyman,  "  Treatise  on 
Bookkeeping  by  Double  and  Single  Entry"  (i4th  ed.,  1837); 
Robinson,  James,  "  Compend  of  Bookkeeping  by  Single  Entry  "  ; 
Winchester,  G.  W.,  "  System  of  Bookkeeping." 

188  Cf.  p.  72. 

189  Cf.  p.  75. 

190  Cf.  pp.  83-84. 

191  Cf.  p.  87. 

192  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 

193  Cf.  p.  94- 


138  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

21.    HISTORY 

In  the  colonial  Latin  grammar  school  more  or  less  attention 
was  given  to  ancient  history  in  connection  with  the  study  of  the 
classics.  In  the  program  of  the  Public  Latin  School  of  Boston 
for  1789  194  no  mention  is  found  of  history  as  a  separate  subject 
of  study.  During  the  headmastership  of  Gould  (1814-1828) 
Valpy's  "  Chronology  of  Ancient  and  English  History  "  was  used  in 
the  second  year.195  In  the  course  of  study  of  the  same  institu- 
tion for  1826  we  find  "History  and  Chronology,  Constitution  of 
U.  S.  A.  and  of  Mass."196  In  the  course  of  study  of  the  Pitts- 
field  Academy  for  1822  "  history "  appeared  without  any  indi- 
cation of  its  character.197  In  the  curriculum  of  the  Leicester 
Academy  for  1824  appeared  "Whelpley's  Compend  of  His- 
tory."198 In  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  the 
course  of  study  for  1821  provided  for  "Ancient  and  Modern 
History  and  Chronology  "  in  the  second  year  and  for  "  History, 
particularly  that  of  the  United  States  "  in  the  third  year.199  In 
the  program  of  the  same  institution  for  182 3-24  among  the  studies; 
prescribed  for  the  lowest  class  appears  "  General  History,  by 
Tytler ;  History  of  the  United  States,  by  Goodrich."  20°  In  the 
course  of  study  for  the  High  School  for  Girls  for  1826  the  history 
of  the  United  States  was  prescribed  for  the  first  year,  general 
history  and  the  history  of  England  for  the  second  year,  and  the 
histories  of  Greece  and  Rome  for  the  last  year.201  \ 

From  these  data  it  may  be  seen  that  by  the  time  of  the  passage 
of  the  law  of  1827  history  had  assumed  an  important  position  in 
the  field  of  secondary  education,  being  found  in  all  types  of  in- 
stitutions of  that  grade.  By  the  law  of  1827  the  history  of  the 
United  States  was  required  in  the  high  schools  of  all  towns. con- 
taining five  hundred  families  or  over.  In  1857  it  was  dropped 
from  the  required  studies  of  the  high  school  and  was  made  obli- 
gatory in  the  elementary  school.  General  history  was  made  a 
required  study  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  containing  four  thou- 

194  Cf.  p.  2. 

^Jenks,  H.  F.,  Boston  Public  Latin  School  p.  61. 

196  Cf.  p.  7. 

197  Cf.  p.  13. 

198  Cf.  p.  12. 

199  Cf.  p.  17. 

200  Cf.  p.  17. 

201  Cf.  p.  19. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  139 

sand  inhabitants  by  the  law  of  1827  and  so  remained  until  the 
act  of  1857  when  it  was  relegated  to  the  high  schools  of  the 
lower  grade.  No  other  history  was  ever  required  by  law  in 
Massachusetts.202 

The  great  popularity  of  the  study  of  history  is  attested  by  the 
figures  given  in  Table  XVIII.203  By  1834  sixty  towns  claimed 
to  offer  the  history  of  the  United  States  in  their  schools  and 
twenty-nine  some  form  of  history  other  than  the  United  States. 
By  1837  the  number  had  leaped  to  two  hundred  and  ninety-four 
respectively.  As  interest  in  the  subject  increased  the  histories  of 
special  countries  or  special  periods  were  introduced  into  the  curri- 
cula of  some  high  schools.  As  indicated  above  the  study  of  the 
history  of  England  had  been  introduced  into  the  schools  of  Boston 
before  the  passage  of  the  act  of  1827.  By  1860-61  it  had  found 
a  place  in  the  high  schools  of  thirteen  towns  out  of  the  group  of 
sixty-three  towns  considered  in  Table  XX.204  The  history  of 
France  was  taught  as  a  separate  subject  in  Salem  perhaps  as  early 
as  i827.205  It  was  also  taught  in  Plymouth  in  i857.206  Mediaeval 
history  was  offered  as  a  special  subject  in  Charlestown  in  i855207 
and  by  1 860-61  it  had  appeared  in  four  towns  in  the  selected 
group.208  Data  regarding  other  special  divisions  of  the  subject 
of  history  are  presented  in  Table  XX. 

The  different  subdivisions  of  the  subject  in  the  various  towns 
make  it  impossible  to  group  the  subjects  in  such  a  way  as  to 
indicate  clearly  the  exact  extent  to  which  the  towns  had  met  the 
requirements  of  the  law  by  1860-61.  By  that  date  thirty-nine  towns 
of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  had  included  the  history  of 
the  United  States  in  their  high  school  curricula.208  It  should  be 
remembered,  however,  that  by  the  law  of  1857  the  obligation  to 
teach  that  subject  in  the  high  schools  had  been  abrogated.209  Of 
that  same  group  fifty  towns  had  included  .general  history  in  the 
curricula  of  their  high  schools  and  that  number  would  undoubt- 
edly be  increased  if  it  were  possible  to  estimate  the  degree  to 
which  a  combination  of  various  subdivisions  of  history,  modern, 

»2  Cf.  p.  72. 
203  Cf.  p.  75. 
2°4  Cf.  p.  82. 

205  Catalog  of  the  late  English  High  School  of  Salem,  pp.  3  ff. 

206  Plymouth  report  for  1857,  PP-  52  ff. 

207  Charlestown  report  for  1855,  P-  14- 

208  Cf.  p.  82.  • 

209  Cf.  p.  32. 


140  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

mediaeval,  etc.,  might  be  considered  to  meet  the  legal  require- 
ments. 

The  extent  to  which  history  had  secured  a  hold  on  the  students 
in  the  high  schools  is  also  indicated  by  the  figures  secured  by 
Horace  Mann  in  i842.210  At  that  time  10,177  students  were 
engaged  in  the  study  of  the  history  of  the  United  States  and  2571 
in  the  study  of  general  history.  The  proportion  of  students  pur- 
suing the  subject  of  history  in  several  towns  is  indicated  in  Tables 
XXVII-XXXII.211  Here  the  various  subdivisions  are  grouped 
and  the  totals  only  given.  It  is  clear  from  these  figures  that,  at 
least  for  the  towns  considered  in  these  tables,  a  large  number  of 
pupils  was  engaged  in  the  study  of  some  form  of  history  at  all 
periods  and  in  all  schools. 

By  1 860-6 1  the  history  of  the  United  States  had  rather  consist- 
ently assumed  a  position  in  the  first  year  of  the  high  school  course 
and  general  history  tended  to  be  found  in  one  or  both  of  the  first 
two  years.212 

The  text-books  in  use  were  as  follows : 

United  States  History:  Davenport,  Richard  A.,  "  History  of  the 
United  States  " ;  Emerson,  Joseph,  "  Questions  and  Supplement 
to  Goodrich's  History  of  the  United  States  " ;  Frost,  John,  "  His- 
tory of  the  United  States  " ;  Goodrich,  Charles  A.,  "  History  of 
the  United  States  " ;  Grimshaw,  William,  "  History  of  the  United 
States  " ;  Hale,  Salma,  "  History  of  the  United  States  "  ;  Hall  and 
Baker,  "  History  of  the  United  States  "  ;  Hildreth,  Richard,  "  View 
of  the  United  States";  Lossing,  Benson  J.,  "  History  of  the 
United  States  " ;  Olney,  Jesse,  "  History  of  the  United  States  " ; 
Parley,  Peter,  "  History  of  the  United  States " ;  Quackenbos, 
G.  P.,  "  History  of  the  United  States  " ;  Webster,  Noah,  "  His- 
tory of  the  United  States " ;  Willard,  Mrs.  Emma,  "  History  of 
the  United  States  "  ;  Woodbridge,  "  History  of  the  United  States  "  ; 
Worcester,  Joseph  E.,  "  History  of  the  United  States  " ;  Robins, 
Mrs.  Eliza,  "  American  Popular  Lessons  " ;  Blake,  John  L.,  "  His- 
tory of  the  American  Revolution." 

General  History:  Butler,  Frederick,  "  Sketches  of  Universal 
History  "  ;  Lardner,  Dionysius,  "  Outlines  of  Universal  History  "  ; 
Peabody,  R.,  "Universal  History";  Robbins,  R.,  "Outlines  of 

210  Cf.  p.  87. 

211  Cf.  pp.  88-93. 

212  Cf.  p.  94. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  141 

History  " ;  Tytler,  Alexander  R,  "  Elements  of  History,"  "  Uni- 
versal History" ;  Weber,  George,  "Outlines  of  Universal  History" ; 
Whelpley,  Samuel,  "  Compend  of  History  "  ;  Worcester,  Joseph  E., 
"  Elements  of  History  " ;  Parley,  Peter,  First,  Second,  and  Third 
Books  of  History,"  "  Common  School  History." 

Special  Fields:  Edwards,  Amelia  B.,  "Outline  of  English 
History";  Goldsmith,  Oliver,  "History  of  England  (ed.  Pin- 
nock,  William)";  Markham,  P.,  "History  of  France";  Wor- 
cester, Joseph  E.,  "  History  of  New  England  " ;  Baker,  George, 
"  History  of  Rome  "  ;  Kneightley,  "  History  of  Greece  "  ;  Rollins, 
"  Ancient  History  "  ;  Schmitz,  Leonhard,  "  History  of '  Rome  " ; 
Sewell,  Elizabeth  M.,  "  Child's  First  History  of  Rome  " ;  Worces- 
ter, Joseph  E.,  "  Ancient  History." 

22.     POLITICAL  SCIENCE 

The  study  of  political  theory  and  practice  was  found  in  the 
curricula  of  the  Massachusetts  schools  under  the  titles  of  political 
philosophy,  political  science,  and  political  economy.  In  the  cur- 
riculum of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  for 
1821  "  Political  Philosophy  "  was  prescribed  for  the  last  year  of 
the  course.213  It  does  not  appear,  however  in  the  course  of  study 
for  1823-24 214  nor  until  1852  when  it  appears  in  the  course  of 
study  of  that  institution  under  the  head  of  "  Political  Economy."  215 

The  subject  was  never  required  by  law  until  the  statute  of  1857 
when  it  was  made  obligatory  in  the  high  schools  of  towns  con- 
taining four  thousand  inhabitants  or  over  under  the  title  of  "  Poli- 
tical Economy." 216  Nevertheless  by  1834  some  twelve  towns 
claimed  to  include  the  study  in  the  curricula  of  their  schools  and 
by  1840-41  some  thirty  towns  claimed  to  offer  the  subject.217  At 
the  latter  date  twenty-five  of  the  thirty  towns  reported  Sullivan's 
Political  Class  Book  to  be  in  use  and  three  mentioned  Wayland's 
"Political  Economy."218  By  1860-61  the  subject  appeared  in  the 
high  school  curricula  of  sixteen  towns  under  the  title  of  political 
economy  and  in  seventeen  under  the  title  of  political  philosophy  or 
political  science.219  Of  the  forty  towns  in  the  group  of  sfixty- 

2i3  Cf.  p.  17. 
21*  Cf.  p.  17. 

215  Boston  report  for  1852,  Chap.  IV,  sect.  9. 

216  Cf.  p.  73- 

217  Cf.  p.  75- 

218  Complied  from  Abstract  of  Mass.   School  Returns  for   1840-41. 

219  Cf.  p.  83.    ' 


142  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

three  towns  there  considered  which  were  required  by  law  to  offer 
the  subject  in  their  high  schools,  twenty-two  towns  or  fifty-five 
per  cent,  met  the  provisions  of  the  law.220     The  position  of  the 
subject  in  the  course  of  study  was  regularly  in  the  last  year.221 
Text-books  used  in  the  study  of  political  science  were: 
Bayard,  James,  "  Outlines  of  Political  Economy  " ;  Paley,  Wil- 
liam, "  Principles  of  Moral  and  Political  Philosophy  " ;  Wayland, 
Francis,   "  Elements  of  Political  Economy " ;  Sullivan,  William, 
"  Political  Class  Book." 

23.    Civics 

While  the  term  "  civics  "  was  not  employed  we  may  include 
under  that  head  various  subjects  found  in  the  curricula  of  the 
Massachusetts  high  school  under  the  titles  "  constitution  of  the 
United  States,"  "  constitution  of  Massachusetts,"  "  city  charter," 
"  the  civil  polity  of  this  Commonwealth  and  of  the  United  States." 
Under  the  last  mentioned  title  the  subject  appeared  in  the  law 
of  1857  by  which  it  was  made  obligatory  for  all  high  schools  in 
towns  containing  five  hundred  families  or  over.222  In  the  course 
of  study  prescribed  for  the  English  High  School  cTf  Boston  in 
1828  we  find  among  the  studies  of  the  lowest  slass  "  Stansbury's 
Catechism  on  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States." 223  In 
Rutland  the  "  Constitution  of  Massachusetts  and  United  States  " 
was  studied  in  I839-4O.224  In  the  course  of  study  prescribed  for 
the  English  High  School  of  Salem  in  1842  we  find  the  following: 
"  Political  Economy  and  Government ;  The  text-books  shall  be 
Wayland's  Political  Economy,  the  City  Charter,  Constitution  of 
Massachusetts,  and  Bayard  on  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States."225 

Doubtless,  as  is  suggested  by  the  wording  of  the  last  citation, 
many  of  the  elements  of  civics  and  the  study  of  the  constitutions 
of  Massachusetts  and  the  United  States  were  included  in  many 
cases  m  some  of  the  other  subjects,  history,  political  science,  etc. 
However  that  may  be,  by  1860-61  we  find  but  twenty-eight  towns 
out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  towns  offering  the  con- 

220  Cf.  p.  86. 

221  Cf.  p.  94. 

222  Cf.    p.   32. 

^Boston  report  for  1828. 

^Rutland  Returns  in  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for   1839-40, 
p.  177. 
225  Regulations  for  the  Superintendence,  etc.,  Salem,  1842,  pp.  u  ff. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  143 

stitution  of  the  United  States  in  their  high  schools  and  but  eleven 
of  that  group  offering  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts.226  Salem 
was  the  only  town  which  offered  in  the  high  school  curriculum  the 
study  of  civic  duties  appertaining  to  the  city  government,  etc. 

Text-books  used  were: 

Bayard,  James,  "  Exposition  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  " ;  Flanders,  Henry,  "  An  Exposition  of  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States  " ;  Hale,  Salma,  "  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  " ;  Mansfield,  Edward,  "  Political  Grammar  of  the  United 
States  " ;  Mason,  Cyrus,  "  On  the  United  States  Government " ; 
Sheppard,  F.,  "  Constitutional  Text  Book  " ;  Shurleff,  J.  B.,  "  Gov- 
ernmental Instructor";  Stanisbury,  Arthur  J.,  "Elementary 
Catechism  on  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States " ;  Story, 
Joseph,  "  Constitutional  Class  Book,"  "  Familiar  Exposition  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,"  "  Commentaries  on  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States " ;  Sullivan,  William,  "  Political 
Class  Book  " ;  Wedgwood,  William,  B.,  "  Revised  Statutes  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts." 

24.     MENTAL  SCIENCE 

Aside  from  logic  and  whatever  elements  of  the  mental 
sciences  may  have  been  included  in  other  subjects  in  the  curri- 
culum specific  instruction  was  given  in  the  Massachusetts  schools 
in  mental  science  or  intellectual  philosophy,  as  it  was  frequently 
termed.  No  special  instruction  had  been  given  along  this  line  in 
the  Latin  grammar  school  but  the  subject  early  found  a  place  in 
the  academy.  Thus  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Leicester  Academy 
for  1824  we  find  mentioned:  "Conversations  on  Intellectual 
Philosophy  "  and  "  Watts  On  the  Mind."  227  In  the  curriculum 
of  the  English  High  School  of  Boston  for  1829  intellectual 
philosophy  and  some  other  subjects  were  permitted  in  the  last 
year  "  if  the  master  think  proper  to  introduce  them."  228 

No  provision  was  made  by  statute  for  the  teaching  of  the 
subject  until  1857  when  it  was  made  obligatory  for  all  high  schools 
in  towns  containing  four  thousand  inhabitants,  or  over.229  Never- 
theless during  the  period  1830-40  the  study  became  very  popular. 
In  1834  but  one  town  in  the  state  claimed  to  offer  the  subject  in 

226  Cf.  p.  83. 

227  Cf.   p.    12. 

228  Boston  Report  for  1829,  pp.  18  ff. 
»  Cf.  p.  32.  ' 


144  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

its  schools  but  by  1840-41  one  hundred  sixteen  towns  out  of  a  total 
of  three  hundred  four  claimed  to  offer  the  subject.230  This  was 
more  than  any  other  higher  study  could  claim  at  that  time  except 
natural  philosophy  and  United  States  history.  Of  these  towns 
one  hundred  ten  mentioned  "  Watts  on  the  Mind  "  as  the  text 
studied,  and  six  Abercrombie's  "  Mental  Philosophy."  231 

By  1860-61  forty-five  out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three 
towns  had  included  mental  science  in  the  curricula  of  their  high 
schools  232  and  of  those  required  by  law  to  offer  the  subject  eighty 
per  cent,  had  complied  with  the  law.233  Some  figures  illustrating 
the  number  of  students  pursuing  the  subject  in  various  towns  are 
given  in  Tables  XXVII-XXXII.234  The  position  of  the  subject  in 
the  course  of  study  was  regularly  in  the  last  or  next  to  the  last 
year.235 

Text-books  in  common  use  were : 

Abercrombie,  John,  "  Mental  Philosophy  "  ;  Haven,  Joseph, 
"  Mental  Philosophy  "  ;  Reid,  Thomas,  "  Essays  on  the  Intellectual 
Powers  of  Man " ;  Upham,  Thomas  C.,  "  Elements  of  Mental 
Philosophy  " ;  Watts,  Isaac,  '*  On  the  Improvement  of  the  Mind  "  ; 
Wayland,  Francis,  "  Mental  Science  " ;  Winslow,  Hubbard,  "  Ele- 
ments of  Intellectual  Philosophy." 

25.     MORAL  SCIENCE  AND  RELIGION 

The  study  of  the  principles  of  morality  and  religion  occupied 
no  inconsiderable  position  in  the  curricula  of  the  Massachusetts 
schools  during  the  nineteenth  century.  More  or  less  study  of  the 
Bible  was  always  to  be  found  and  occasionally  we  find  a  reference 
to  the  use  of  the  catechism :  e.  g.,  in  Longmeadow  in  1839-40  we 
find  the  "Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism"  among  the  books  in 
use.236  As  a  formal  study  under  the  general  head  of  moral 
science  and  religion  we  may  include  "  Moral  Philosophy,"  "  Moral 
Science,"  "  Natural  Theology,"  "  Evidences  of  Christianity," 
"  Ethics,"  and  "  Butler's  Analogy,"  all  of  which  were  to  be  found 
in  the  curricula  of  the  high  schools  of  Massachusetts. 

230  Cf.  p.  75. 

231  Compiled  from  the  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1840-1. 

232  Cf.  p.  83. 

233  Cf.  p.  86. 

234  Cf.  pp.  88-93. 

235  Cf.  p.  94- 

236  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1839-40,  p.  246. 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  145 

Moral  science  as  a  special  subject  of  study  had  occupied  a  place 
in  the  curriculum  of  the  academy.  Specific  mention  may  be  found 
in  the  curriculum  of  the  Pittsfield  Academy  for  1822  under  the 
title  of  "  moral  philosophy."  2B1  In  the  course  of  study  for  the 
English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  in  1821  "  Moral  Philos- 
ophy "  was  prescribed  for  the  last  class.238  In  the  course  of  study 
for  the  same  institution  for  1823-24  "  Natural  Theology,  by  Paley  " 
was  prescribed  for  the  second  class  and  "  Moral  Philosophy,  by 
Paley  "  and  "  Evidences  of  Christianity,  by  Paley  "  for  the  third 
class.239  In  the  curriculum  of  the  High  School  for  Girls  of  Boston 
for  1826  "  Paley 's  Natural  Theology  "  was  prescribed  for  the 
second  year  and  "  Paley's  Evidences  of  Christianity  "  for  the  third 
year.240  No  legal  requirements  existed  regarding  the  subject 
until  1857  when  "  moral  science "  was  made  obligatory  in  the 
high  schools  of  all  towns  containing  four  thousand  inhabitants  or 
over.241 

In  1834  moral  science  as  a  separate  subject  of  study  was  found 
in  four  towns  of  the  state  and  by  1838-39  the  number  had  increased 
to  twenty-one.242  In  1840-41  some  fourteen  towns  claimed  to  offer 
the  subject,  the  distribution  being  as  follows :  moral  science  in  ten 
towns ;  natural  theology  in  three ;  evidences  of  Christianity  in 
one.242  Data  regarding  the  introduction  of  each  of  the  separate 
topics,  together  with  the  extent  of  its  adoption  by  1860-61  may  be 
found  in  Table  XX.243  It  may  be  noted  that,  under  the  various 
headings,  the  subject  had  met  with  considerable  success,  under  the 
head  of  moral  science  being  found  in  thirty-six  towns  out  of  the 
sixty-three  considered  in  the  table  and  under  the  head  of  natural 
theology  being  found  in  fifteen.  In  Tables  XXVII-XXXII  244  are 
presented  some  data  regarding  the  number  of  students  pursuing 
the  subject  in  several  towns.  The  position  in  the  course  of  study 
was  regularly  in  the  last  year.245 

Text-books  in  common  use  were: 

Abercrombie,  John,  "  Moral  Philosophy " ;  "  Philosophy  of  the 

^  Cf.  p.  13. 

238  Cf.  p.  17. 

239  Cf.  p.  17. 

240  Cf.  p.  19. 

2«  Cf.    p.    32. 

242  Cf.    p.    75- 

243  Cf.    p.   83. 

244  Cf.  pp.  88-93- 

245  Cf.  p.  94.      • 


10 


146  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Moral  Feelings  " ;  Butler,  Joseph,  "  Analogy  of  Religion  "  ;  Dick, 
Thomas,  "The  Christian  Philosophy";  Gallaudet,  Thomas  H., 
"Youth's  Book  of  Natural  Theology";  Paley,  William,  "Evi- 
dences of  Christianity,"  "Natural  Theology,"  "Moral  Philo- 
sophy " ;  Paxton,  Geo.,  "  Illustrations  of  Paley's  Natural  Theol- 
ogy "  ;  Sullivan,  William,  "  Moral  Class  Book  "  ;  Wayland,  Francis, 
"  Elements  of  Moral  Science  " ;  Whewell,  William,  "  Elements  of 
Morality  "  ;  "  Manual  of  Morals." 

26.     DRAWING 

In  1826  map  drawing  and  the  principles  of  perspective  were 
introduced  into  the  curriculum  of  the  High  School  for  Girls  of 
Boston.246  In  1829  "  Linear  Drawing"  was  a  subject  allowed  in 
the  last  year  of  the  English  High  School.247  According  to  the 
data  given  in  the  Abstract  of  Massachusetts  School  Returns  for 
1839-40  Cambridge  was  the  only  town  which  specifically  laid  claim 
in  those  returns  to  the  teaching  of  drawing  in  its  schools.248  In 
1842  twenty-seven  students  in  the  Charles  town  schools  pursued  the 
subject.249  As  a  subject  requiring  special  attention  the  study  of 
drawing  was  one  of  slow  growth  in  the  high  schools  of  Massachu- 
setts but  by  about  1850  the  reports  of  the  various  towns  indicate 
a  tendency  to  devote  more  attention  to  the  study.  In  1854-55  the 
school  committee  of  Framingham  made  a  knowledge  of  drawing 
an  "  indispensable  qualification  for  the  assistant  in  both  High 
Schools."  25°  By  the  law  of  1859  drawing  was  made  permissive 
in  all  public  schools.251  Up  to  1860-61  twenty-five  towns  out  of 
the  selected  list  of  sixty-three  towns  (thirty-nine  per  cent.)  had 
included  drawing  in  the  curricula  of  their  high  schools.252  Some  of 
the  most  extensive  work  in  this  subject  was  done  in  Roxbury.253 
Text-books  mentioned  in  the  teaching  of  drawing  were: 
Fowle,  William  B.,  "  Linear  Drawing  and  Perspective  " ;  "  Bar- 
tholemew,  William  U.,  "  System  of  Drawing." 


246  Cf.  p.  19. 

^Boston  report,  pp.  i8ff. 

^Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1839-40,  p.  62. 

249  Charlestown  report  for  1842,  p.  4. 

250  Framingham  report  for  1854-5,  p.  19. 
^General  Statutes,  Chap.  38,  sect  I. 
252  Cf.  p.  83. 

^Roxbury  Regulations  for   1857,  PP-  I9ff- 


The  Curriculum  —  Special  Subjects  147 

27.     Music 

Music  was  doubtless  introduced  into  the  Massachusetts  schools 
early  in  an  incidental  way.  The  first  specific  mention  of  it  as,  a 
subject  of  study  is  found  in  Northampton  in  1837  when  nearly  all 
of  the  girls  in  the  high  school  were  reported  to  be  engaged  in  that 
study.254  In  the  returns  from  the  same  town  for  1838-39  the 
Boston  Academy's  "  Manual  of  Music  "  was  mentioned  among  the 
text-books  in  use.255  In  the  Abstract  of  Massachusetts  School 
Returns  for  1839-40  no  mention  was  made  of  the  subject  of  music 
in  the  schools  of  the  state.  That  this  did  not  represent  the  true 
condition  of  affairs,  however,  is  seen  from  the  statement  of  Horace 
Mann  in  his  report  for  1845 :  "  There  are  about  five  hundred 
schools  in  the  state  where  Vocal  Music  is  now  practiced.  Half  a 
dozen  years  ago,  the  number  was  probably  less  than  one  hun- 
dred." 256 

By  the  law  of  1859  music  was  included  among  the  subjects 
which  were  permitted  in  all  schools.257  By  1 860-61  nineteen  towns 
out  of  the  selected  group  of  sixty-three  had  included  music  in  the 
curricula  of  their  high  schools  as  a  special  subject.258 

28.     MISCELLANEOUS  SUBJECTS 

A  few  subjects  other  than  those  treated  in  the  previous  dis- 
cussion were  to  be  found  from  time  to  time  in  some  of  the  high 
schools.  Some  of  these  are  deserving  of  attention  because  of  their 
bearing  on  the  attempt  to  introduce  subjects  which  would  function 
in  the  practical  life  of  the  students.  Among  these  may  be  men- 
tioned bookkeeping,  shorthand,  sewing,  agricultural  chemistry, 
commerce,  useful  arts  and  sciences,  household  science,  etc.  Book- 
keeping has  been  discussed  on  pages  136-137.  Of  the  others  none 
ever  attained  any  secure  position  in  the  curricula  of  the  Massachu- 
setts high  schools.  Shorthand  was  introduced  in  Waltham  in  1854 
under  the  title  of  phonography :  "  A  new  study  has  been  intro- 
duced during  the  year,  that  of  Phonetic  Shorthand  or  Phono- 
graphy  A  voluntary  class  of  over  forty  pupils  was  formed :  and 

afterwards  the  study  was  required  of  the  whole  of  the  youngest 

254  Northampton  Report  for   1837,  pp.   14  #• 
^Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1838-9,  P-  162. 
^Eighth  Annual   Report  of  the   Secretary,   1845,  p.   H7- 
^General  Statutes,  Chap.  38,  sect.  i. 
258  Cf.  p.  83.' 


148  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

class  in  the  school/'  259  Isaac  Pitman's  "  Manual  of  Phonography  " 
was  adopted  at  this  time.260  In  1856-57  the  subject  was  introduced 
into  the  last  year  of  the  grammar  school  course.261  Nb  other 
school  adopted  the  subject  within  the  period  under  consideration  in 
this  discussion. 

Sewing  was  introduced  in  the  girls'  schools  of  Worcester  in 
1840:  "  Needle- work  is  permitted  in  the  Primary  Schools  two  half 
days  in  each  week,  and  in  the  higher  female  schools  one-half 
day."  262 

Agricultural  Chemistry  was  introduced  in  Ipswich  in  1845  263 
and  was  permitted  in  Springfield  in  i857.264 

The  study  of  the  "  Book  of  Commerce  "  was  introduced  into  the 
Plymouth  High  School  by  i838.265  By  1860-61  it  had  appeared  in 
the  curricula  of  five  towns  out  of  the  selected  list  of  sixty-three.266 

Blair's  "  Elements  of  the  Arts  and  Sciences  "  was  introduced  into 
the  curriculum  of  the  English  Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  in 
1823-24 267  but  it  was  dropped  in  i827.268  It  never  appeared  in 
any  other  school. 

Household  Science  appeared  first  in  the  curriculum  of  the 
Springfield  High  School  in  i858.269  It  was  never  found  in  any 
other  high  school  of  the  state  before  1861. 

^Waltham  report  for  1855,  p.  4. 

260  Id.  for  1856-7,  p.  7. 

261  Mass.  Report  for  1857,  p.  209. 

262  Worcester  report  for  1840,  p.  7. 

263  Ipswich  report  for  1841,  p.  5. 

264  Springfield  report  for  1857,  p.  49. 

265  Abstract  of  Mass.  School  Returns  for  1838-9,  p.  305. 
2<*  Cf.  p.  83. 

*'  Cf.  p.  17. 

™Amer.  Jour,  of  Ed.  19,  P-  485. 

269  Springfield  report  for  1858,  p.  66. 

<f 


CHAPTER  VII 
SUMMARY  AND  CONCLUSION 

i.     CONDITIONS  ANTECEDENT  TO  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  MOVEMENT: 
THE  INFLUENCE  OF  OTHER  INSTITUTIONS 

In  Chapter  I  have  been  discussed  the  various  educational  mstitu-- 
tions  of  Massachusetts  up  to  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  the, 
nineteenth  century.  There  were  considered  the  Latin  grammar 
school,  the  academy,  and  the  elementary  schools  of  the  state.  The 
condition  of  those  institutions  at  the  time  of  the  beginning  of  the. 
high  school  movement  may  be  summarized  here. 

(i)  The  Latin  Gratiimar  School.  This  institution,  the  only 
one  providing  for  secondary  education  in  Massachusetts  until  the 
beginning  of  the  academy  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury and  the  only  public  secondary  institution  in  the  state  up  to 
the  inception  of  the  high  school  movement,  had  fallen  into  a  very 
low  state  by  the  beginning  of  the  high  school  period.  Only  a  few 
of  the  larger  cities  continued  to  maintain  such  schools  and  by  the 
law  of  1824  all  but  seven  towns  in  the  state  were  relieved  of  the 
necessity  of  maintaining  such  institutions  by  the  fulfillment  of  an 
easy  condition.1  There  was,  therefore,  imperative  need  in  defense 
of  public  secondary  education  for  some  such  action  as  that  repre- 
sented by  the  law  of  1827.  That  this  action  should  proceed  along 
lines  somewhat  different  from  preceding  practice  was  demanded  by 
the  very  decline  of  the  Latin  grammar  school,  the  success  of  the 
academy  movement,  and  the  general  educational  and  economic 
situation. 

By  the  few  nf  Tft27  the  Latin  grammar  school  received  its  death 
blow  and  with  the  exception  of  a  few  special  institutions  such  as 
the  Public  Latin  School  of  Boston  the  older  type  of  school  disap- 
peared or  was  merged  into  the  newer  type,  sometimes  leaving  its 
traces  in  separate  classical  schools  or  separate  classical  departments. 

The  contribution  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  to  the  new  type 

1  Cf.  p.  26., 

149 


150  The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

of  school,  the  high  school,  was  a  body  of  subject  matter,  the  Latin 
and  Greek  languages,  which,  because  of  a  body  of  method  devel- 
oped around  it,  a  body  of  teachers  more  or  less  well  trained,  and 
its  great  prestige,  continued  to  contribute  much  to  the  high  school. 

(2)  The  Academy.     This   institution,   beginning   in   the  last 
quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century,  had  grown  in  popularity  until 
by  1820  thirty-six  academies  had  been  incorporated  in  the  state 
and  many  others  were  doubtless  in  operation.     By  1825  the  num- 
ber which  had  been  incorporated  was  forty  and  within  the  years 
1826-1830  twenty-eight  more  had  been  incorporated.2     Thus  by 
the  beginning  of  the  high  school  movement  the  academy  had  be- 
come an  institution  of  far  greater  influence  than  the  Latin  gram- 
mar school.     At  that  time  it  had  not  only  gained  a  hold  on  the 
field  of  secondary  education  in  the  state  but  was  looked  upon  as 
a  semi-public  institution  well  fitted  t<$  take  the  place  of  an  institu- 
tion wholly  supported  by  the  state.3 

Until  the  middle  of  the  century  the  academy  continued  to  main- 
tain its  ascendancy  over  the  public  institution  for  secondary  edu- 
cation but  before  the  period  under  consideration  in  this  discussion 
had  closed  the  academy  had  begun  to  yield  ground  to  the  high 
school  and  by  1860  we  find  the  high  school  securely  established. 

Three  elements  the  academy  introduced  into  the  field  of  second- 
ary education  in  Massachusetts  and  contributed  to  the  high  school : 
(a)  A  new  theory  and  aim  in  secondary  education,  that  higher  train- 
ing should  be  provided  for  those  pupils  who  did  not  intend  to  go 
to  college,  a  training  which  should  fit  such  students  for  a  non-pro- 
fessional career;  (b)  a  new  body  of  subject  matter  which  greatly 
transcended  that  of  the  Latin  grammar  school  and  provided  the 
sort  of  training  required  by  the  new  aim ;  (c)  the  theory  that  higher 
education  should  be  provided  for  girls.  The  first  two  of  these 
elements  were  included  in  the  plan  of  the  English  Classical  (High) 
School  of  Boston  in  1821  and  the  third  was  met  by  the  establish- 
ment of  the  High  School  for  Girls  in  that  city  in  1826.  All  three 
elements  were  included  in  the  provisions  of  the  law  of  1827  and 
put  into  operation  by  the  high  schools  established  in  accordance 
with  that  law. 

(3)  The  Elementary  School     The  relation  between  the  Latin 
grammar  school  during  the  colonial  period  and  the  lower  schools 

2Cf.  p.  ii. 
3  Cf.  p.  10. 


Summary  and  Conclusion 


had  never  been  very  close.  This  lack  of  articulation  was  in  some 
ways  emphasized  by  the  development  of  the  district  system  and 
especially  as  a  result  of  the  laws  of  1789,  1800,  1817,  and  i826.4 
Of  particularly  bad  effect  was  the  provision  in  the  law  of  1827 
which  created  a  dual  system  of  control  and  administration,  the 
town  committee  in  charge  of  the  high  school  and  the  prudential 
committee,  consisting  at  first  of  one  man  and  later  of  three,  in 
charge  of  each  district  school. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  lack  of  articulation  between  the 
elementary  school  and  the  high  school,  especially  where  the  lower 
school  had  no  organized  system  of  gradation,  was  a  serious  diffi- 
culty to  be  met  in  the  development  of  the  high  school  which  de- 
pended for  its  students  on  the  lower  school.  It  is  not  surprising, 
therefore,  to  find  that  the  growth  of  the  high  school  movement 
and  the  development  of  the  graded  schools  replacing  the  district  - 
schools  were  contemporaneous.  The  complete  abolition  of  the  dis- 
trict school  system  of  Massachusetts  did  not  come  about  until' 
1882  but  long  before  this  the  system  had  begun  to  give  way  until 
at  the  said  date  only  forty-five  towns  out  of  a  total  of  more  than 
three  hundred  fifty  still  retained  the  district  system.5 

(4)  The  College.  The  Latin  grammar  school  had  for  its  aim 
the  preparation  of  boys  for  the  university.  The  college  require- 
ments until  1807  demanded  only  preparation  in  Latin  and  Greek. 
In  that  year  Harvard  added  a  little  arithmetic  and  geography  to 
its  requirements.  In  1820  algebra  was  added  and  in  1833-34  geom- 
etry. Other  subjects  were  required  later  as  indicated  on  page  66. 

After  the  beginning  of  the  high  school  period  the  practice  of 
the  high  school  and  the  legal  requirement  regarding  studies  ante- 
dated in  all  cases  the  requirements  of  the  college.  Thus,  while  the 
colleges  may  have  affected  the  quality  of  the  work  done,  and  the 
attention  paid  to  the  various  subjects,  so  far  as  the  introduction  of 
new  subjects  was  concerned,  the  college  did  not  affect  the  curricu- 
lum of  the  high  school. 

2.    THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  MOVEMENT  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 

The  high  school  movement  in  the  United  States  was  inaugurated 
by  the  establishment  of  the  English  Classical  School  of  Boston  in 

4  Cf.  p.  61. 

5  Martin,  George  H.,  The  Evolution  of  the  Massachusetts  Public  School 
System,  p.  8.' 


152          'The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

1821  and  the  foundation  of  that  school  marked  the  beginning  of 
a  new  era  in  the  history  of  public  secondary  education  in  this 
country.  Up  to  that  time  the  public  secondary  school  in  this  coun- 
try had  been  of  a  purely  classical  type  borrowed  from  England, 
offering  only  such  instruction  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  as 
would  prepare  a  boy  for  college  and  through  college  for  a  profes- 
sional life.  Through  the  academy  a  new  conception  of  the  func- 
tion of  secondary  education  had  developed,  the  need  of  an  educa- 
tion which  should  prepare  future  citizens  for  an  active  life  of  busi- 
ness and  for  political  services  in  the  new  democracy.  Such  a  need 
was  met  by  the  people  of  Boston  in  the  establishment  of  the  English 
Classical  School  and  by  the  state  in  the  provisions  of  the  law  of 
1827.  The  high  school  established  by  this  law  was,  then,  designed 
to  provide  not  only  training  in  the  old  way,  but  a  training  for  all 
thg  people  of  the  state. 

( i )  The  Establishment  of  High  Schools.  The  question  of  the 
establishment  of  high  schools  in  Massachusetts  has  been  treated  in 
Chapter  III.  There  it  was  shown  that  of  the  one  hundred  twenty 
high  schools  required  by  law  up  to  1860  (according  to  the  census 
of  1855)  eighty-six  (or  67.2  per  cent.)  had  complied  with  the  man- 
dates of  the  law  and  sixteen  others  not  required  by  law  to  do  so 
had  established  high  schools.  In  all  by  1860  one  hundred  two 
high  schools  had  been  established.  Of  these  but  eighteen  had  been 
established  by  1840,  forty-seven  by  1850  and  eighty-seven  by  1855. 

How  many  of  these  so-called  high  schools  were  really  entitled 
to  be  so  called  it  would  be  difficult  to  say.  The  question  would 
depend  on  the  interpretation  to  be  given  to  the  term  "  high  school." 
Interpreted  according  to  the  strict  meaning  of  the  law  probably 
few  could  have  rightly  claimed  the  title.  Such  an  interpretation 
wpjuld,  however,  be  altogether  unfair  in  comparing  them  with  other 
high  schools.  The  question  should  rather  rest  on  the  criteria  of 
their  courses  of  study  and  gradation. 

^j  (2)  Studies  Pursued.  The  studies  to  be  taught  in  the  high 
/  schools  of  Massachusetts  were  specified  by  the  law  of  1827  and 
late^I  laws.  These  studies  were  by  no  means  universally  taught  in 
the  high  schools  of  the  state,  but  they  formed  a  central  core  around 
which  the  subjects  of  the  curriculum  were  grouped.  On  the  other 
hand  many  high  schools  extended  their  curriculum  so  as  to  include 
within  it  many  subjects  which  were  not  required  by  law. 

Table  XX  presents  a  synopsis  of  the  curricula  of  a  selected 


Summary  and  Conclusion  153 

group  of  sixty-three  towns  and  this  material  is  further  analysed 
in  Tables  XXI-XXV.  From  this  material  it  is  evident  that  a  large 
majority  of  the  high  schools  in  the  state  by  1860  could  meet  any 
reasonable  demands  of  a  high  school.  At  the  lowest  estimate  the 
sixty-three  included  withm-the-group  considered  could  rightly_Ja.y 
claim  to  the  title  of  "  high  school  "  on  the  basis  of  the  studies 
offered  in  their  curricula. 

(3)  Gradation  in  the  High  Schools.     By  1850  the  reports  of 
the  various  towns  show  that  the  gradation  of  the  high  school  cur- 
riculum into  a  course  of  studies  covering  from  three  to  five  years 
had  become  the  common  practice.    In  Table  XXXIV  are  presented 
data  which  indicate  that  by  1860  there  existed  some  seventy-two 
high  schools  whose  published  courses  of  study  show  the  existence 
of  a  course  of  study  which  extended  over  from  three  to  five  years. 

(4)  How  many  High  Schools  Had  Been  Established  by  1860? 
In  the  Introduction  to  this  discussion  attention  was  called  to  the 
inconsistencies  manifest  in  several  lists  of  high  schools  established 
in  the  United  States  previous  to  the  Civil  War.     The  question  is  a 
difficult  one  and  depends  for  its  answer  on  the  meaning  which  we 
give  to  the  term  "  high  school."     Data  which  will  answer  the  ques- 
tion in  a  more  or  less  satisfactory  manner  as-  far  as  Massachusetts 
is  concerned  have  been  presented  in  this  discussion^     According  to 
the  data  presented  in  Table  VI  more  than  one  hundred  towns 
claimed  to  have  established  high  schools  in  that  state  by  1860. 
Many  of  these  had  no  legitimate  claim  to  that  title  and  several  were 
merely  temporary  in  their  existence.     Table  XXXIV  shows  that 
seventy-two  towns  by  1860   had   established  high   schools  whose 
courses  of  study,  as  published  in  their  reports,  extended  over  a 
period  of  from  three  to  five  years.     It  would  thus  seem  that  the 
number  of  high  schools  in  Massachusetts  previous  to  the  Civil  War 
was  in  excess  of  sixty-eight. 

3.    GROWTH  OF  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  MOVEMENT  IN  THE  UNITED 

STATES 

The  high  school  movement  in  this  country  was  initiated  in  Massa- 
chusetts. In  that  state  the  first  school  of  the  new  type  was  founded, 
the  standards  which  became  the  characteristic  features  of  the  pub- 
ere  established,  and  there  the  high  school  devel- 


oped earliest*  and  probably  at  its  best. 


154          'The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

For  the  first  twenty  years  after  the  establishment  of  the  Eng- 
lish Classical  (High)  School  of  Boston  in  1821  the  progress  of 
the  movement  was  slow.  Previous  to  1840  not  more  than  eighteen 
high  schools  had  been  founded  in  Massachusetts.6  Outside  of  that 
state  several  high  schools  were  soon  founded,  the  movement  first 
making  some  headway  in  the  other  states  of  New  England, 
especially  in  Maine,  which  had  been  a  part  of  Massachusetts  until 

1820.  Portland,  Maine,  lays  claim  to  a  high  school  founded  in 

1821,  Augusta  and  Brunswick  in  1835  and  Pittston  in  1837.    Here 
some  claim,  perhaps,  may  be  made  that  this  was  due  to  the  pre- 
vious   connection    between    Maine    and    Massachusetts.     Among 
the  many  partial  lists  and  conflicting  statements  which  we  find 
regarding  the   establishment  of   the  early  high   schools,   is  one 
assigned  by  the  author  of  the  "History  of  the  Central  High 
School  of  Philadelphia,"  to  Dr.  E.  E.  Brown.7    "  I  believe  the 
Central  High  School  of  Philadelphia  to  be  the  first  free  public 
high   school   established   outside   of    New   England.     ...     I 
find  the  following  ten  schools  which  seem  to  have  been  estab- 
lished as  high  schools  in  New  England  before  the  year   1838^ 
I.    The  English  Classical  School,  now  the  English  High  School, 
Boston,   1821.     2.  The  High    School    for    Girls,    Boston,   1826. 
Discontinued  1828.     Re-established  1852.     3.  The  High  School, 
New   Bedford,   Massachusetts,    1827.     Discontinued  as   a  public 
school  1829.    Re-established  1837.    4.  The  High  School,  Haver- 
hill,    Massachusetts,    1827.     5.    The    High    School,    Burlington, 
Vermont,    1829.    6.   The  High   School,   Lowell,   Massachusetts, 
1831.     7.    The    High    School,    Medford,    Massachusetts,    1835. 
8.  The    High    School,    Augusta,    Maine,    1835.     9.    The    High 
School,  Brunswick,  Maine,  1835.     10.  The  High  School,  Pitts- 
ton,  Maine,  1837."     Salem  (1827)   should  certainly  be  included 
here  and  possibly  others.8 

In  the  following  table  are  given  data  indicating  roughly  the 
development  of  the  high  school  movement  in  the  whole  country  by 
decades  up  to  1860.  The  figures  are  compiled  from  the  data 
given  in  the  report  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Educa- 
tion for  1904,  pages  1782-1989.  In  the  estimate  are  included  all 
towns  which  claimed  to  have  established  high  schools  at  the 

6  Cf.  p.  46. 

7  Franklin   S.   Edmonds,  op.  cit.,  p.  29. 

8  Cf .  pp.  42-45- 


Summary  and  Conclusion  155 

date  indicated  in  the  report.  The  figures  must  not  be  taken  in 
any  exact  interpretation.  Probably  not  more  than  half  of  the 
high  schools  in  operation  in  1904  submitted  returns  to  the  Com- 
missioner of  Education,  and,  as  tested  in  special  cases,  the  infor- 
mation given  is  not  altogether  trustworthy.  In  many  cases  the 
dates  given  for  the  establishment  were  probably  the  dates  of  the 
establishment  of  academies  from  which  the  high  school  evolved. 
The  dates  before  1820  must  have  referred  to  a  Latin  grammar 
school  or  some  private  school. 

TABLE  XXXV 
ESTABLISHMENT  OF  HIGH  SCHOOLS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Before  1820   1820-30   1831-40   1841-50   1851-60  Total 


Massachusetts  

3 

2 

6 

26 

4i 

78 

Vermont  

i 

I 

2 

2 

3 

9 

New  Hampshire  

i 

I 

0 

3 

2 

7 

Maine  

2 

0 

3 

5 

4 

14 

Connecticut  

I 

O 

3 

2 

2 

8 

Rhode  Island  

0 

0 

0 

3 

2 

& 

New  York  

I 

4 

5 

9 

22 

4i 

New  Jersey  

o 

o 

i 

0 

3 

4 

Pennsylvania  

0 

o 

i 

4 

12 

17 

Ohio  

0 

0 

0 

15 

33 

48 

Illinois  

I 

0 

0 

0 

9 

10 

Indiana  

o 

o 

o 

0 

9 

9 

Michigan  

0 

0 

0 

7 

12 

19 

Wisconsin  

0 

0 

0 

i 

6 

7 

All  others  

3 

I 

5 

13 

23 

45 

13  9  26  90  183  321 

From  the  above  table  it  may  be  seen,  so  far  as  we  may  rely 
on  these  figures  as  representing  the  general  trend  of  the  high 
^school  movement,  that  about  one-half  of  the  schools  which  laid 
claim  to  the  title  of  "  high  school "  in  1860  were  to  be  found  in 
Massachusetts,  New  York,  and  Ohio.  Except  so  far  as  Massa- 
chusetts is  concerned  the  question  of  the  number  of  these  schools 
which  were  really  high  schools  lies  beyond  the  limits  of  this  dis- 
cussion. Of  this,  however,  we  may  be  sure,  that  many  of  the 
lists  whidh  have  been  given  hitherto9  are  decidedly  incomplete. 
For  instance,  the  town  of  Marietta,  New  Hampshire,  which  ap- 
pears in  none  of  the  lists  examined,  as  early  as  1856  had  a  high 

9  E.  g.  U.  S.  Commissioner's  Report  for  1903,  pp.  563-4-      / 


156          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

school  which  provided  an  excellent  four  year  course  in  the  Eng- 
lish department  and  offered  a  separate  classical  course.10  Like- 
wise, at  least  as  early  as  1860,  the  Zanesville  (Ohio)  High 
School  offered  a  five  year  classical  course,  a  three  year  English 
course,  and  a  "  Partial "  two  years  course.11 

The  growth  of  the  high  school  in  Ohio  is  of  particular  inter- 
est. The  movement  in  that  state  began  with  the  establishment 
of  the  Central  High  Schools  at  Cleveland  and  Columbus  in 
i846.12  For  the  period  until  1860  the  state  commissioner  re- 
ports as  follows :  "  There  were  few,  if  any,  High  Schools,  in 
the  state  fifteen  years  ago:  and  not  more  than  twenty  when  our 
general  school  law  was  enacted  in  1853.  Since  1855  they  have 
increased  from  91  to  161,  being  an  average  increase  of  12  per 
annum.  During  that  time  the  teachers  in  these  schools  have 
increased  from  196  to  319,  and  the  pupils  from  7,522  to  13,183. 
The  growth  of  the  High  School  System  has  not  been  remark- 
ably rapid,  but  its  progress  has  been  sufficient  to  prove  that  it 
has  been  received  with  favor  by  the  people  in  the  large  towns  of 
the  state."13  The  law  referred  to  in  the  above  quotation  was  the 
law  passed  March  i,  1853,  giving  each  township  board  of  educa- 
tion the  power  to  establish  high  schools.14 

Some  figures  for  the  years  1855-1860,  taken  from  report  of  the 
State  Commissioner  of  Common  Schools,  are  instructive : 

TABLE  XXXVI 
GROWTH  OP  HIGH  SCHOOLS  IN  OHIO 

Number  of  Number  of 

Year  High  Schools  Students              Reference 

1855 97  8554  1856,  pp.    54-56 

1 13  8372  1857,  pp.  102-04 

139  10,829  1858,  pp.    10-12 

151  10,518  1859,  pp.    10-12 

161  13,183  1860,  pp.    15-16 


The  discrepancy  of  these  figures  with  those  presented  on  page  155 
will  be  noted. 

Not  only  the  institution  itself  but  the  subject  matter  to  be 
studied  in  the  high  school  was  bequeathed  by  Massachusetts  to 

10  By-laws  and  Report  of  the  Board  of  Education,  1856,  p.  13. 

11  Seventh  Annual  Report  of  the  (Ohio)  State  Commissioner  of  Common 
Schools,  1860,  pp.  91  ff. 

12  See  the  Cleveland  report  for  1861-2,  p.  10. 

13  Seventh    Annual    Report    of    the    State    Commissioner    of    Common 
Schools,  1860,  p.  45. 

14  Laws  of  Ohio,  1853,  LI,  vel.  Stat.  429. 


Summary  and  Conclusion  157 

the  other  states.  The  following  data  regarding  the  studies  of- 
fered in  the  high  schools  of  Ohio  in  1855-56  will  illustrate  this 
fact.  The  figures  are  taken  from  the  Third  Annual  Report  of 
the  State  Commissioner  of  Common  Schools  for  the  year  ending 
August  3  ist,  1856,  p.  6: 

TABLE  XXXVII 

NUMBER  OF  PUPILS  STUDYING  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS  IN  Ojho  IN  1855-56 

Subject  Pupils  Subject                              Pupils 

Alphabet 42,448        Moral  Philosophy 276 

Spelling 270,745        Mental  Philosophy 212 

Reading 299,002        Chemistry 415 

Penmanship 249,922         Rhetoric 404 

Orthography 277,339         Astronomy 655 

Mental  Arithmetic 82,640        Geology 297 

Written  Arithmetic 166,665         Zoology 165 

Geography 90,784         Latin 675 

English  Grammar 63,414        Greek 113 

Physiology 2,571         German 903 

Map  Drawing 9,023         French 180 

Composition 15,201         Bookkeeping 63 

Declamation 23,909         Botany 53 

Elements  of  Drawing 2,496         Uranography 40 

Vocal  Music 26,070         Natural  History 20 

History 5,824        Butler's  Analogy 10 

Algebra 5,79°        Trigonometry 5 

Geometry 934        Surveying i 

Natural  Philosophy 1,167 

With  the  exception  of  the  importance  of  German,  caused  then 
as  now  in  that  same  state  by  local  conditions,  the  studies  of  the 
Ohio  high  schools  were  approximately  the  same  as  those  of  the 
Massachusetts  high  school. 

In  the  larger  cities  throughout  the  country  where  high  schools 
were  established  the  standards  for  those  schools  and  the  courses 
offered  were  as  high  if  not  higher  than  those  of  Massachusetts. 
In  evidence  of  this  compare  the  courses  of  the  following  cities 
with  any  of  the  courses  of  study  offered  in  Massachusetts:  Buf- 
falo, N.  Y.  (Superintendent's  Report  for  1858,  pp.  24,  25,  28)  ; 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Woodward  and  Hughes  High  Schools  (Report 
of  the  Trustees,  etc.,  for  1852,  pp.  57  fT.)  ;  Chicago,  111.  (Report 
of  the  Board  of  Education  for  the  year  ending  February  I,  1861, 
pp.  130  ff.)  ;  St.  Louis,  Mo.  (Report  of  the  President,  Superinten- 
dent, etc.,  for,  the  year  ending  July  i,  1859,  Appendix,  pp.  XL  fT.)  ; 


158          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

Kalamazoo,  Mich.  (Catalogue  of  the  Officers,  etc.,  of  the 
Kalamazoo  Public  Schools,  for  the  school  year  1859-60,  pp. 
26  ff.)  ;  Battle  Creek,  Mich.  (Rules  and  Regulations  adopted  by 
the  School  Board  Feb.  28th,  1860,  pp.  8  ff.)  ;  Adrian,  Mich.  (An- 
nual Catalogue  for  1857-8,  pp.  28  ff.)  ;  Manchester,  N.  H.  (Regu- 
lations, etc.,  October,  1846,  pp.  5  ff.)  ;  Schenectady,  N.  Y.  (Re- 
port of  the  Board  of  Education  April  23,  1856,  pp.  26  ff.)  ;  Ann 
Arbor,  Mich.  (Report  for  1858-9,  pp.  35  ff.)  ;  Providence,  R.  I. 
(Report  of  the  School  Committee,  1857,  p.  17)  ;  Grand  Rapids, 
Mich.  (Catalogue  of  Officers,  etc.,  1860-1)  ;  Zanesville,  Ohio 
(Eleventh  Annual  Report  of  the  State  Commissioner,  for  the 
year  ending  August  31,  1860,  pp.  91  ff.)  ;  Marietta,  N.  H.  (Re- 
port of  the  Public  Schools,  1856,  pp.  13  ff.)  ;  Cleveland,  Ohio 
(Report  of  the  Board  of  Education,  for  the  year  1855-6,  pp. 

75  ff-)- 

f  The  type  of  high  school  which  originated  in  Massachusetts 
shows  no  direct  influence  coming  from  secondary  institutions  in 
Europe.  In  a  few  cases  there  developed  in  this  country  "high 
schools "  which  were  directly  influenced  by  European  institu- 
tions. Such  was  the  High  School  for  Boys  opened  by  the  High 
School  Society  of  New  York  March  I,  1825.  This  institution 
was  more  or  less  modeled  on  the  Edinborough  High  School  and 
its  establishment  was  brought  about  in  part  as  a  result  of  the  re- 
port on  the  Scotch  school  by  John  Griscom.  The  school  was  dis- 
continued about  1 83 1.15 

Another  instance  of  direct  European  influence  was  to  be  found 
in  the  Central  High  School  of  Philadelphia,  established  in  1838. 
'"'  The  educational  history  of  the  High  School  commences  with 
Dr.  Bache's  report  to  the  High  School  Committee,  which  was 
presented  December  10,  1839.  Previous  to  this  keen  "analysis 
of  the  function  of  the  school  there  had  been  competent  instruc- 
tion, but  there  was  no  complete  grasp  of  the  situation.  Bache 
was  fresh  from  his  European  investigation,  where  he  had  been 
favorably  impressed  with  the  Prussian  system,  by  which  boys 
intended  for  the  learned  professions  are  educated  in  the  classical 
courses  of  the  '  Gymnasia/  while  those  intended  for  business  life 

15  See  Griscom's  account  of  his  European  travels  in  the  American  Review 
for  1824,  the  account  of  the  High  School  Society  of  New  York  in  Dr. 
Elmer  E.  Brown,  The  Making  of  Our  Middle  Schools,  pp.  304-310,  and 
the  Reports  of  the  High  School  Society  of  New  York. 


Summary  and  Conclusion  159 

pass  the  corresponding  period  in  the  study  of  science  and  modern 
languages  in  the  'Real  Schools/  He  submitted  to  the  Philadel- 
phia Committee  a  sketch  of  the  Leipsic  system,  and  pointed  out 
that  just  as  our  public  schools  supplied  the  place  of  the  elemen- 
tary schools  abroad,  so  our  High  School  should  correspond  to 
the  '  Gymnasia '  and  the  '  Real  Schools/  It  should  prepare  one 
group  for  the  university,  where  they  would  enter  upon  profes- 
sional study;  it  should  prepare  another  group  for  active  business 
life/'16 

The  plan  for  the  organization  of  the  school  was  based  on  the 
recommendation  of  Dr.  Bache,  who  drew  a  part  of  his  ideas 
from  the  Prussian  schools  and  part  from,  the  course  at  West 
Point,  of  which  he  was  a  graduate,  and  where  he  had  been  as- 
sistant professor  of  engineering,  i826-i828.17  The  early  course 
of  studies  did  not  differ  radically  from  the  type  of  school  repre- 
sented in  Massachusetts,  but  the  plans  of  its  supporters  were 
more  ambitious  and  the  school  continued  to  extend  its  scope 
until  in  1849  the  Central  High  School  was  granted  by  the  legis- 
lature the  power  to  confer  academic  degrees,  honorary  and  other- 
wise, such  as  was  possessed  by  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.18 
Lack  of  space  forbids  here  a  more  extensive  discussion  of  the 
course  of  study  and  the  general  economy  of  the  type  of  high 
school  represented  by  the  Central  High  School  of  Philadelphia, 
but  enough  has  been  said  to  indicate  the  difference  in  origin,  aim, 
general  economy,  and  historical  development  between  the  type 
here  represented  and  that  represented  by  the  Massachusetts  high 
schools.  Further  information  regarding  the  Philadelphia  school 
may  be  found  in  the  history  of  that  institution  prepared  by  Frank- 
lin S.  Edmonds  and  in  the  reports  of  the  Controllers  of  the  Pub- 
lic Schools  of  the  City  and  County  of  Philadelphia. 

With  the  exception  of  such  institutions  as  that  maintained  by 
the  "  High  School  Society  "  of  New  York,  which  showed  Scot- 
tish influence,  and  the  Central  High  School  of  Philadelphia,  which 
was  influenced  by  German  school  practice,  and  with  the  further 
possible  exception  of  such  institutions  as  were  represented  by  The 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York  and  The  Baltimore  City  Col- 

16  Edmonds,  Franklin  S.,  History  of  the  Central  High  School  of  Phil- 
adelphia, p.  61. 

17  Ibid.,  pp.  62-66,  319. 
16  Ibid.,  p.  130. 


160          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

lege,  the  high  schools  of  this  country  owe  the  basis  of  their  aim,  j 
theory,  and  practice  to  the  high  school  first  created  and  earliest 
developed  in  Massachusetts.  As  in  most  other  educational  mat- 
ters Massachusetts  led  the  way  in  the  older  Latin  grammar 
school  education  and  in  the  newer  type  of  secondary  education — 
the  public  high  school.  It  is  all  the  more  to  her  glory  that  no 
direct  influence  from  other  countries  has  been  traced  in  regard  to . 
the  high  school  system.  The  American  high  school  was  an  in- 
stitution peculiarly  adapted  to  the  needs  and  wants  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  and  is  an  everlasting  tribute  to  the  democracy  of 
Massachusetts  and  America. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

The  major  part  of  the  preceding  discussion  is  based  on  the  re- 
ports of  the  school  committees  of  the  towns  of  Massachusetts. 
After  the  establishment  of  the  State  Board  of  Education  in  1837 
these  reports,  in  manuscript  or  in  print,  were  forwarded  to  The 
secretary  of  that  board  and  are  now  on  file  in  the  library  of  the 
State  House,  Boston.  All  the  reports  of  all  the  school  commit- 
tees of  the  towns  in  Massachusetts  for  the  years  1838-1-865  have 
been  examined,  as  well  as  all  the  available  reports  for  dates  pre- 
vious to  1838.  The  total  number  of  reports  examined  was  con- 
siderably over  five  thousand. 


GENERAL  WORKS 

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Review,  Vol.  5  (1897),  pp.  84-94,  139-147,  193-200,  269-285;  Vol.  6 
(1898),  pp.  225-238,  357-363,  527-540;  Vol.  7  (1899),  PP.  36-41, 
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BROWN,  ELMER  E.  The  Making  of  Our  Middle  Schools.  (New  York, 
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DEXTER,  EDWIN  G.  A  History  of  Education  in  the  United  States.  (New 
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FRASER,  REV.  JAMES.  Report  on  the  Common  School  System  of  the 
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161 


1 62          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

MASSACHUSETTS 

ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION,  together  with  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board:  Especially,  I  (1838),  pp. 
51,  53;  H  (1839),  PP.  29,  335  IV  (1841),  p.  13;  VI  (1843),  P.  55; 
VII  (1844),  P-  150;  VIII  (1845),  pp.  52,  103,  104,  105,  107,  116, 
117;  X  (1847),  pp.  70,  123,  135,  141,  180;  XII  (1849),  pp.  17,  30; 
XIV  (1851),  pp.  68,  73,  74,  77,  79,  83,  84,  87,  89;  XVI  (1853), 
p.  104;  XVII  (1854),  pp.  106,  109,  112,  114,  141,  144;  XVIII 
(1855),  PP-  57,  58,  62,  77,  117,  127,  129,  130,  131,  134,  148,  151, 
153,  155,  164,  168,  169,  170,  172,  176,  177,  182,  184,  189,  200,  203, 
205,  206,  207,  211,  215,  224,  226,  229,  237,  241;  XIX  (1856), 
pp.  72,  73,  Abstract  of  School  Committees'  Reports,  pp.  43,  95, 
97,  123,  143;  XX  (1857),  PP-  22,  40,  84,  87,  163,  165,  172,  173,  174, 
177,  182,  183,  186,  188,  192,  200,  207,  208,  209,  210,  211,  214,  217,  219, 
229,  233,  239,  245,  248,  253,  254,  259,  270,  274,  283;  XXI  (1858), 
p.  44,  School  Committees'  Reports,  pp.  247  249,  251;  XXII  (1859), 
School  Reports,  pp.  31,  33,  4<>,  82,  116,  120,  122,  125,  132,  138,  139, 
146,  152,  166,  217,  221,  230,  237,  240,  242,  243,  244;  XXIII  (1860), 
Abstract  of  School  Returns,  pp.  5,  17,  23,  147,  159,  222,  232,  244,  251, 
261;  XXIV  (1861),  pp.  56/61,  90,  92,  931  XXV  (1862),  p.  127; 
XXVII  (1863),  pp.  5i,  52;  XXVIII  (1864),  pp.  86,  88;  XXIX 
(1865),  pp.  80  ff;  XL  (1875-6),  Appendix  E,  pp.  174-347. 

ABSTRACT  OF  THE  MASSACHUSETTS  SCHOOL  RETURNS:  Especially  1838-9, 
PP-  3i.  32,  46,  47,  62,  70,  83,  84,  95,  96,  98,  1 10,  131,  162,  269,  273,  305, 
325;  1840-1,  pp.  12,  15,  24,  25,  42,  63,  77,  137,  ISO,  169,  235,  249,  252, 
272,  288;  1843^-4,  pp.  22,  50,  52,  72,  145,  207,  208,  209,  210,  212; 
1845-6,  pp.  nT22,  33,  55,  185,  197,  246,  286,  288. 

CARTER,  JAMES  G.     Essays  upon  Popular  Education.     (Boston,  1826.) 

EMERSON,  GEORGE  B.    Education  in  Massachusetts.     (Boston,  1829.) 

MANN,  HORACE.  The  Massachusetts  System  of  Common  Schools,  being 
an  enlarged  and  revised  edition  of  the  Tenth  Annual  Report  of  the 
First  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education.  (Bos- 
ton, 1849.) 

MARTIN,  GEORGE  H.  The  Evolution  of  the  Massachusetts  Public  School 
System.  (New  York,  1894.) 

MAYO,  A.  D.  Horace  Mann  and  the  Great  Revival  of  the  American  Com- 
mon School,  1830-1850.  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education, 
1896-1897,  I,  pp.  715  ff- 

PHIPPS,  ABNER  J.  High  Schools  of  Massachusetts.  Fortieth  Annual 
Report  of  the  Board  of  Education,  1875-6,  Appendix  B,  pp,  34-47- 
(Boston,  1877.) 

STANDING  COMMITTEE  ON  EDUCATION,  Report  of,  March  30,  1859.  Quoted 
in  the  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of  the  (Massachusetts)  Board  of 
Education,  1875-76,  pp.  209  ff. 


Bibliography  163 

SUZZALLO,  HENRY.  The  Rise  of  Local  School  Supervision  in  Massachu- 
setts. (New  York.  1906.) 

The  High  School  Policy  of  Massachusetts.  The  New  Englander,  Vol.  16, 
pp.  854-873.  1858. 


LEGISLATION  AFFECTING  HIGH  SCHOOLS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 

RECORDS  OF  THE  GOVERNOR  AND  COMPANY  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  BAY  IN  NEW 
ENGLAND:  II,  p.  203  (Law  passed  Nov.  n,  1647);  IV,  Part  I, 
pages  397-398,  400  (Nov.  12,  1659);  IV,  Part  2,  page  486  (1671); 
V,  pages  414-415  (1683). 

LAWS  OF  THE  PROVINCE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS:  1692-3,  Chapter  26,  Section 
5;  1700-1,  Chapter  8,  Section  6;  1701-2,  Chapter  15,  Section  6; 
1701-2,  Chapter  10;  1702-3,  Chapter  4,  Section  5;  1703-4,  Chapter  5, 
Section  5;  1718-9,  Chapter  2. 

LAWS  OF  THE  STATE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS:  1789,  Chapter  19,  Sections  1-6; 
1800,  February  28;  1817,  June  13;  1824,  Chapter  in,  Sections  1-3; 
1827,  Chapter  143,  Sections  i,  19,  21 ;  1829,  Chapter  128. 

ACTS  AND  RESOLVES  OF  THE  GENERAL  COURT  OF  MASSACHUSETTS:  1833, 
Chapter  133;  1838,  Chapter  189,  Section  i;  1839,  Chapter  56,  Sec- 
tions 1-2;  1840,  Chapter  76;  1848,  Chapter  283,  Chapter  279,  Sections 
1-4;  1850,  Chapter  229,  Sections  1-3,  Chapter  274;  1852,  Chapter 
123;  1853,  Chapter  153;  1857,  Chapter  72,  Chapter  189,  Sections  1-4, 
Chapter  206,  Sections  1-3,  Chapter  254;  1858,  Chapter  5,  Sections 
. .  1-3 ;  1862,  Chapter  7 ;  1866,  Chapter  210,  Sections  1-2 ;  1867,  Chapter 
154;  1868,  Chapter  226;  1869,  Chapter  210,  Sections  i,  5,  Chapter 
423,  Chapter  80,  Chapter  196;  1870,  Chapter  248;  1871,  Chapter  308; 
1873,  Chapter  95;  1876,  Chapter  47,  Sections  1-4,  Chapter  3;  1880, 
Chapter  112;  1881,  Chapter  193;  1882,  Chapter  219;  1884,  Chapter 
69;  1885,  Chapter  332,  Sections  1-2;  1894,  Chapter  471,  Chapter  320; 
1895,  Chapter  94;  1898,  Chapter  496,  Sections  1-4,  6. 

GENERAL  REVISIONS  OF  THE  STATUTES:  1835,  Revised  Statutes,  Title  X, 
Chapter  23;  1859,  General  Statutes,  Chapter  38;  1882,  Public  Stat- 
utes, Chapter  44;  1902,  Revised  Laws,  Chapter  42. 

IMPORTANT  DECISIONS  BEARING  ON  HIGH  SCHOOLS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS: 
Commonwealth  versus  the  Inhabitants  of  Dedhami,  1817,  16  Mass. 
141.  Commonwealth  versus  the  Inhabitants  of  Sheffield,  1853,  u 
Cushing,  178.  John  N.  Gushing  versus  the  Inhabitants  of  Newbury- 
port,  1845,  10  Metcalf,  508.  Jenkins  and  Others  versus  the  Inhabi- 
tants of  Andover  and  Others,  1869,  103  Mass.  94.  Cf.  also :  98  Mass. 
589 ;  103  Mass.  99 ;  23  Pickwick  225 ;  5  Cushing  207 ;  10  Allen  149 ; 
12  Allen  127;  101  Mass.  143;  105  Mass.  475;  9  Allen  94;  98  Mass. 
587;  5, Cushing  207. 


164          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

INSTITUTIONS  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  OTHER  THAN  HIGH   SCHOOLS 

Colleges 

HARVARD  UNIVERSITY.  Statutes  of  Harvard  College:  1642,  1655,  1686, 
1731,  1734,  1743,  1778,  1790,  1798,  1807,  1814,  1816,  1820,  1825.  Cata- 
logues of  Harvard  University,  1825-1870. 

WILLIAMS   COLLEGE:    Catalogues,   1830-1870. 

AMHERST   COLLEGE:     Catalogues,    1825-1870. 

BROOME,  EDWIN  C.  A  Historical  and  Critical  Discussion  of  College  Ad- 
mission Requirements.  (New  York,  1903.) 

SNOW,  Louis  F.  The  College  Curriculum  in  the  United  States.  (New 
York,  1907.) 

Quarterly  Register  and  Journal  of  the  American  Educational  Society. 
Vols.  I  (1829);  II  (1830). 

The  Latin  Grammar  School 

WATSON,  FOSTER.    The  English  Grammar  Schools  to  1660.     (Cambridge, 

Eng.,  1908.) 
CARLISLE,    NICHOLAS.     Concise    Description    of    the    Endowed    Grammar 

Schools  of  England.     (London,  1818.) 

STAUNTON,  HOWARD.    Great  Schools  of  England.     (London,  1865.) 
SARGEAUNT,  JOHN.    Annals  of  Westminster  School.     (London,  1898.) 
SMALL,   WALTER  H.    The   New    England    Grammar    School,    1635-1700. 

School  Review,  Vol.  XIV,  No.  I,  pp.  42-56. 
SMALL,    WALTER    H.    The    New    England    Grammar    School,    1700-1800. 

School  Review,  Vol.  X,  No.  7,  pp.  513-531. 
JENKS,  HENRY  F.     Historical  Sketch  (of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School), 

in  the  Catalogue  of  the  Boston  Public  Latin  School.     (Boston,  1886.) 
DILLAWAY,   C.   K.     A   History  of  the   Grammar    School,    or,   The  Free 

Schools   of   1645   in   Roxburie.      (Roxbury,    1860.) 

HAMMATT,  ABRAHAM.  Ipswich  Grammar  School.  New  England  Histori- 
cal and  Genealogical  Register,  Vol.  6  (1852),  pp.  64-71,  159-167. 

Reproduced  in  the  American  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  28,  pp.  134- 

144. 
JUDD,  SYLVESTER.    The  Hopkins  Foundation.     The    Hopkins    School    at 

Hadley.    American  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  27,  pp.  145-156. 
MOWRY,  WILLIAM  A.    Historical    Address    of    the    Dorchester  Grammar 

School,  delivered  at  the  Dorchester  Celebration,  Boston,  1890,  pp. 

10-52. 

The  Academy 

HAMMOND,  REV.  CHARLES.  New  England  Academies  and  Classical 
Schools.  Fortieth  Annual  Report  of  the  (Massachusetts)  Board  of 
Education,  Appendix  E,  pp.  182-207.  (Boston,  1877.) 


Bibliography  165 

MARTIN,  GEORGE  H.  The  District  School  and  the  Academy  in  Massachu- 
setts. New  England  Magazine  (New  Series),  Vol.  9,  pp.  450-462. 
Boston,  1893.) 

WALTON,  GEORGE  A.    Report  on  Academies.    Fortieth  Annual  Report  of 

the    (Massachusetts)    Board   of    Education,    1875-76,   Appendix    E, 

pp.  174-347.     (Boston,  1877.) 
QUARTERLY  REGISTER  AND  JOURNAL  OF  THE  AMERICAN  EDUCATIONAL  SOCIETY, 

Vol.  II  (1830),  pp.  232-232. 

ADAMS  ACADEMY.     Historical  Sketch  in  the  Catalogue  for  1873. 
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mer  Academy.     (Boston,  1865.) 
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571-574. 
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(Boston,  1899.) 
LAWRENCE  ACADEMY.    Hammond,  Rev.  Charles.    Lawrence  Academy,  Gro- 

ton,   Massachusetts.     American  Journal  of  Education,  Vol.  2,  pp. 

49-6o. 
LEICESTER  ACADEMY.    Washburn,  Emory.    Brief  Sketch  of  the  History  oi 

Leicester  Academy.     (Boston,  1855.) 
MILTON   ACADEMY.     Thayer,   J.    B.      Historical    Sketch    in    The   Milton 

Orange  and  Blue,  Vol.  V,  No.  3,  pp.  26-32. 
PHILLIPS  ACADEMY,  Andover.    The  Constitution  of  Phillips  Academy  in 

Andover.     (Andover,  1828.) 
PHILLIPS  ACADEMY,  Andover.    Bancroft,  Cecil  F.  P.    Phillips  Academy, 

Andover.    Education,  Vol.  14  (1894),  pp.  629-632. 
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Brief  History.     (Boston,  1897.) 
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SPECIAL  HIGH  SCHOOLS 

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Committee  of  the  School  Committee.  (Boston,  1828.) 

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166          The  Rise  of  the  High  School  in  Massachusetts 

BRIMFILLD.  Hitchcock  Free  High  School.  American  Journal  of  Educa- 
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CAMBRIDGE.  Bradbury,  William  F.  The  Cambridge  High  School.  (Cam- 
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SPRINGFIELD.  Chapin,  Charles  W.  History  of  the  "  Old  High  School "  on 
School  Street,  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  from  1828-1840.  (Spring- 
field, 1890.) 

WORCESTER.  Roe,  Alfred  S.  Worcester  Classical  and  English  High 
School.  (Worcester,  1892.) 


LIFE 

ALEXANDER  JAMES  INGLIS,  was  born  November  24th,  1879,  at 
Middletown,  Connecticut. 

Academic  Education:  He  was  graduated  from  the  Middle- 
town  High  School  in  1898  and  from  Wesleyan  University  with 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1902.  He  pursued  graduate 
work  in  Columbia  University  1903-1910  and  in  1909  received 
from  that  institution  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  In  the  same 
year  he  received  from  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University, 
a  Master's  Diploma  in  School  Administration. 

Professional  Experience:  Teacher  in  the  Kiskiminetas 
Springs  School,  Saltzburg,  Pennsylvania,  1902-03 ;  Teacher  in 
the  Horace  Mann  High  School,  Teachers  College,  1903-1911. 

Joint  author  of  "  High  School  Course  in  Latin  Composition," 
"  First  Book  in  Latin ;"  translator  of  Cicero's  "  De  Amicitia." 
Contributor  to  Teachers  College  Record  and  The  Classical 
Weekly. 


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